Don't know what you've got 'til it's gone
by RhiannonoftheMoon
Summary: COMPLETE Kagome falls under an enchantment at a hot spring and her miko powers are effected. How will she deal with the changes she is forced to undergo? Mature rating for Inuyasha's potty mouth, violence, citrus and anything else I feel like adding.
1. Amphibious Kiss

A/N: This is the first chapter of my first fanfic. Please keep that in mind when you read and review!

Also, I watch the anime religiously but I'm just staring the manga, so everything will be based off the anime.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters created by Takahashi.

Chapter 1 – Amphibious Kiss

He had gone to _her_ again. Kagome had seen the soul collectors overhead, almost hidden by the dense canopy of branches, and Inuyasha had disappeared minutes later. The others hadn't noticed yet; they were busy eating the stew that Kagome and Sango had prepared earlier that evening. Lately, Miroku and Sango didn't notice much of anything but each other, anyway. Kagome sighed and glanced to the tree that Inuyasha had recently vacated, then back to her own bowl that was sitting on the ground beside her, untouched.

What did she expect? That after two years as companions, he would love her as much as she did him? That he would accept that his first love was dead and move on – to her? 'I'm such a fool', she thought as she absently smoothed a pleat in her green school-issued skirt. 'It's not like I've told him how I feel'. Just the thought of speaking those words to him filled her stomach with butterflies. Would he laugh? Would he turn away with a typical "Feh! Stupid girl." Would he blush as reached for her, whispering…

"Kagome, why aren't you eating?"

Kagome jumped, then flushed when she saw two emerald eyes staring at her in concern. "Shippo! I was… waiting for it to cool off, that's all." She snatched up her bowl and took a quick sip, suppressing a grimace at the tepid liquid. "Yep! Cool enough to eat!" She forced a sunny grin and continued sipping the soup.

"OK", Shippo said doubtfully.

She didn't think she'd fooled him; he was a precocious child and knew way too much for a kit his age. 'I wonder how old he really is…', she mused as she glanced over at him again and gave him another smile. 'He is much more aware of relationships and feeling than Inuyasha… oh, Inuyasha'. She sighed again as the image of soul collectors filled her mind, followed by Inuyasha embracing Kikyo beneath the trees, moonlight touching their hair.

She set aside her empty bowl and got to her feet. "I'm going to the hot springs", she announced as she dug her soap, shampoo, and towel out of her bag. "Sango?" The demon slayer glanced up.

"You go ahead without me, Kagome. I'll follow in a minute."

Kagome nodded and left camp, following the deer path to the natural hot springs she knew was close by. This wasn't the first time they had camped here and she was confident that could find her way there and back without mishap. 'I don't need protection every minute of every day, after all', she thought as she kicked at the leaves on the path. 'In fact, I could take care of my self if I had to… except that I left my bow and arrows back at camp'. A hidden tree root caught her foot and she stumbled, catching her balance with her hand on the offending tree. She hung her head, letting her bangs hide her face. 'Maybe I am a useless, stupid girl'.

The sound of trickling water brought her out her self-condemnation and brightened her spirits a little. Steam curled into the night air and seemed to caress the boulders that partially hid the pool while dozens of fireflies darted around, lending the spring an unearthly, magical glow. The tinkling of water originated from a small figure of a frog carved bas-relief from the rock wall on the other side of the spring. Water seeped from between it's lips, which were puckered as if ready for a kiss.

Kagome quickly stripped and folded her clothes neatly, placing them on one of the rocks and making sure her fragments of the sacred jewel were on top, then pinned her hair into a pile on her head. Smiling, her first real smile of the evening since she had seen the soul collectors, she eased one foot, then the other, then her entire body into the hot water. She sat and leaned against one of the rocks and let her muscles relax.

'I know I promised to always stay by his side. Maybe I'm holding him back? Maybe he doesn't want me here anymore?' Inuyasha's behavior toward her hadn't changed; he was still her friend, but she sensed a distance between them that was growing steadily wider. When she had made that promise, she had thought friendship would be enough. Now she knew it wasn't. 'Maybe he is holding me back?' She cupped her hands and squirted water at the stone frog. "What do you think, mister frog?" Squirt, squirt. "It's not like he's the only boy in town", she mumbled, then hunkered down under the water until it came to her nose. 'Who am I trying to fool, he's been the only boy since the day I met him. But I'm not the only girl for him.' Something about the frog nagged at the back of her mind, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

She waded closer to the frog and used a delicate finger to trace its carved lines. 'I'm not as beautiful, as strong, as powerful as Kikyo.' Her finger glided down the bridge of its nose. 'I'm just a human. I can't compete', she echoed her own words of so long ago. She spoke aloud, "I wish I was as powerful and strong as Inuyasha. Then maybe he would look at me like he does Kikyo." Without thinking, she bent forward and kissed the stone lips of the frog.

A sudden jolt ripped through her, as if she were being electrocuted, and was gone just as suddenly. She fell back into the water with a small shriek and rubbed her buzzing lips. 'Well, that was weird. I should have known better.' She gave her body a quick once-over. 'I don't seem to be hurt, though. Where is Sango, anyway?' She waded back to where she had left her clothes, unpinned her hair, grabbed her soaps, and finished her bath as quickly as she could. The frog hadn't changed, but she realized that she wanted to be at camp as soon as possible. Barely taking the time to dry off, she got into her uniform, now damp from the steam, and headed back toward camp.

The more distance she put between her and the frog, the more the incident seemed to fade from her mind and the more aware of the night she became. Trees whispered overhead; she could almost make out words. Night creatures scurried in the underbrush and she found that if she tried, she could follow their path by listening alone. The loamy scent of earth intermingled with that of decaying leaves, vegetable stew, and a largish animal off to her left that was quickly approaching. Wrapped up in the experience and not paying attention to exactly what it was her senses were telling her, Kagome continued down the path.

'Is this what electrocution does to people?' Without noticing that she could now see it, she stepped over the gnarled root that had tripped her before. 'Silly, the Warring States Era doesn't have electricity!'

A quiet rustle and an almost silent creak, along with the wild, woodsy scent of the large animal brought her attention overhead. A sharpness to the scent told her that whatever it was, it was angry. Looking up, she saw two golden eyes, widened in surprise, framed by a mane of silky silver hair and two white triangular dog-ears. He was crouched on the branch like a tiger, an embodiment of grace and strength.

"It's not polite to sneak up on people, ya know".

Inuyasha was dumb-struck. He had fully intended to drop to the ground in front of her, startling her, then give her piece of his mind about the stupidity of wandering off alone. "How did you…"

"You've lost your touch, Inuyasha. Anyone could have heard you a mile away". Kagome stepped down the path with a smug grin, her spirits a little lighter but wondering why Inuyasha's patented silent approach had been so loud.

Inuyasha dropped from the tree behind her, scowling. "Hey you! I ain't finished!"

"Osuwari."

She didn't look back at the hanyou, sputtering with his face planted in the earth, as she followed the dim glow of the fire to the campsite.

Shippo stirred from sleep as Kagome stepped into the circle of firelight. "Kagome! You're back!" The excited little kit jumped up from where he had been sitting and bounded into her arms, embracing her tightly.

"Shippo! I was only gone a few minutes!" she laughed and returned his hug. Miroku, a red handprint gracing his face, smiled softly at the two of them from his bedroll. Sango glanced up guiltily from sharpening her short sword. Kagome grinned at her and waved away the unspoken apology.

Shippo's emerald green eyes gleamed a little brighter. "You were so sad when you left… I was worried," he said softly. Kagome laughed again and cuddled him to her chest.

"I can't be sad with you around, Shippo" she replied just as quietly. She yawned widely and walked the both of them to her sleeping bag. With one arm, she balanced the kit on her hip; with the other she unrolled the sleeping bag and unzipped it. She was so sleepy all of a sudden, she could hardly see straight. Her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and her amazing senses of just a few minutes ago rapidly receded. With barely enough time to crawl in and adjust to a comfortable position, her eyes closing of their own accord, she fell into a deep sleep. Shippo sniffed at her, slightly alarmed at her exhaustion. She smelled a little strange, but she always did after a bath. It was soon forgotten as he, too, drifted off to sleep.

Leaping from tree branch to tree branch, Inuyasha arrived at camp a few minutes later, but stayed in the forest canopy. Looking down at his companions through the branches, he saw nothing obviously amiss. Kagome was sacked out with Shippo in her arms, Sango and Miroku were apparently recovering from an argument, probably caused by the hentai's wandering hands.

Still… Kagome should not have been able to sense him in that tree. He had been successfully sneaking up on her in that manner for the past two years and she had never shown even the _slightest_ sign that she had heard him. This time, she not only spotted him before he was ready, she seemed to know he was coming.

He tried to catch a whiff of her scent, but all he could get was floral soap and Shippo. 'Idiot. Why did she go off by herself? Something could have happened to her.' He flinched and flattened his ears when he remembered where he had been when she left camp. It would have been his fault if she had gotten hurt; he was her protector, after all. But he hadn't been able to help himself when he caught wind of Kikyo's soul collectors.

He had left as quietly as possible, tracking the demons until he found her, bathed in moonlight with her soul collectors slowly circling her. Like a celestial being she had stood, mysterious, beautiful and … cold. His heart had skipped a beat and he had meant to approach, but before he had taken a step forward, an image of Kagome's laughing face had risen in his mind. Warm where Kikyo was cold, joyful to Kikyo's melancholy, living instead of dead. He watched her a few minutes more, then left as silently as he had arrived.

He had taken his time finding his way back to his companions, letting his thoughts and feet wander. He still loved Kikyo, didn't he? Yes, he did, but he wasn't _in_ love. 'I promised to avenge her. I promised my life to her'. Is that what he really wanted? Not anymore: there was so much to live for. For the first time in his life, he had friends, trust and acceptance. He had paused and gazed up at the sky. The waning moon was a closing eye in a jewel-scattered blanket. Tomorrow night would be the new moon and this night of weakness.

He couldn't imagine life without his friends, especially Kagome. She had made it all possible; the others would not have given him the time of day if it had not been for her. Frankly, he wouldn't have cared, before she had entered his life. He hadn't recognized how alone he had been until he had been surrounded by companionship.

His wandering feet had almost led him back to camp when he had realized that the woman in his thoughts was not there. He had immediately taken to the treetops, rightly guessing that she had gone to the spring.

'How the hell did she know I was there?' He scowled down at her sleeping form, tracing the graceful curve of her neck with his eyes. Thick eyelashes brushed her cheeks, inky black hair spread over her sleeping bag like fingers of night. Alive… but unattainable. She was his friend and she knew of his promise to Kikyo. Regardless, no woman in her right mind would be interested in a half-breed like himself, especially not one as powerful, strong-spirited, desirable and as Kagome. He imagined running his clawed fingers through her silky hair, watching those sooty eyelashes flutter like captured moths. 'Don't be ridiculous. She's not for someone like me.' Suppressing a sigh, he settled more comfortably into the crotch of the tree. The least he could do was keep watch while the others slept.


	2. Strange Behavior

A/N: Thanks for the feedback! I'm surprised anyone bothered to read it.

Chibi playing with fire: Yeah, I know. Common theme but easy to work with. I haven't done any writing like this so I decided to play it safe.

Angel-of-dark-spirits: The frog was enchanted and drew her to it. Also, it didn't exactly electrocute her – it put a spell on her. I promise, all will be revealed… eventually.

Chapter 2 – Strange Behavior

Shafts of sunlight broke through the trees and turned Kagome's world red. She groaned and rolled over, trying to escape the light and almost smothering Shippo in the process. His squirming, coupled with the inescapable sounds of her friends going about their morning routines, convinced her that she was not going to get any more sleep this morning. Really, their clanging and banging would attract unwanted attention. Since when had they gotten so noisy?

The smell of roasting fish broke her train of thought and she blushed when her stomached growled. She was _starving_. She hopped out of her bedroll, shook a still sleepy kit from it, and quickly stowed it with her stuff. Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha were already munching on their fish; she helped herself to one of the remaining skewers and took an enormous bite.

"Hungry, Kagome?" Sango asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Mm hmm," she replied around a mouthful of fish. She did not remember barbecued fish tasting so good! Three quarters of the way through her fish, she realized that the one fish would not be enough. 'I have ramen in my bag that I brought back for Inuyasha… I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I ate just one.' Licking the grease from her fingers, she pulled one of the containers from her bag and filled it with hot water left over from the morning's tea. It wasn't until she was almost done eating the ramen that she felt her friends' stares.

"What?"

"Are you OK, Kagome?" Miroku asked her.

"Never better!" which was true, oddly enough. She felt energized, almost giddy.

"Then why are you stuffing your face?" came the rude question from an equally rude hanyou, whose own mouth was full of food. "And why are you eating my ramen?"

"I'm hungry! Jeez! And I carry it, so I can eat it!"

"Well, I carry you, and if you don't stop eating like a pig, I'll drop you."

"I'll walk, thank you." He was more irritating than usual, this morning.

"Like hell you will, you'll just slow us down."

Sango jumped into the argument before it got too heated. "We were just concerned, Kagome. If you're fine, then that's good enough for us. Right Inuyasha?" She shot a pointed look to the hanyou, who turned his head and tucked his arms into the sleeves of his red haori.

"Keh."

Sango offered her an apologetic smile. Eyeing the irate hanyou's unfinished breakfast, Kagome slurped up the last of the ramen. She was still peckish but she'd be damned before she asked for the rest of his fish.

It was midmorning and already the day had become stiflingly hot. Sweat was dripping down the back of her legs, down her face and soaking her shirt. Kagome glanced at her friends and was gratified that they, too, felt the heat. Probably more so, considering the heavier cloths they wore. Only Inuyasha seemed impervious as he walked at the head of the company. A shift in the wind brought the heavy smell of human and youkai perspiration to her nose and she barely suppressed a grimace. 'Ugh, baths for all tonight'.

Since the smells were inescapable, she started picking through and memorizing the different components. 'Incense… that must be Miroku… leather and cut grass… Sango and Kirara… dandelions… Shippo?… cedar and wet dog … definitely Inuyasha.' She smirked as an image came to mind of him shaking his head to dry his hair. As if he could read her thoughts, he looked back at her and glared. She glared back. No one had mentioned his disappearance last night, but she had yet to forgive him.

By noon, tempers were short and bodies were exhausted. Shippo finally flopped down under a tree and refused to get up. The humans weren't inclined to try to make him. Even Inuyasha felt wilted and joined the group under the tree after some grumbling about 'weak humans'. As hot and sticky as she was, Kagome felt restless and eager to move. Recognizing her friends' discomfort, she chose to not say anything. The last thing she needed was more stares and questions about her health.

"Where are we going, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked after taking a long drink from his water skin.

The hanyou scowled at him from under damp bangs. "To look for Naraku, you dumb monk. Where the hell do you think?"

Miroku sighed. Inuyasha was a trial of one's patience. "I meant, where are we going, exactly? Do you have any leads?"

Before Inuyasha could answer, Kagome spoke up. "We need to find a safe place to spend the night. Tonight is the new moon."

Miroku's eyes widened in understanding. "Right, tonight Inuyasha becomes human."

"There's a lake not too far from here. Maybe we'll find a spot there. I don't think we can go much further in this heat, anyway." Kagome said as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"How do you know?" Miroku asked curiously.

"She's right," Inuyasha fixed her with a sharp, golden stare. "How do you know?"

Finding herself under the scrutiny of five pairs of eyes, Kagome faltered. "Uhh…" She suddenly didn't want her friends to know that she could smell the water. She stretched her arms down and twisted her fingers together. "I must have been there before…" Why _could_ she smell it?

"The hell you have. I haven't been there and you haven't been anywhere without me." Eyes narrowed in suspicion, Inuyasha approached her and took a long whiff.

"Don't sniff me, dog-boy." What normally would have been a teasing comment came out as a growl. She could feel anger uncurling in the pit of her stomach. Sango shot Miroku a worried look.

"Don't lie to me, wench." His approach became that of predator stalking his prey.

"Back off, baka!" She snarled, showing teeth. Her hands had balled into fists, nails biting into her palms.

"Bitch!"

"Osu-"

"That's enough, you two!" Sango exclaimed as she jumped between them and put a hand on each of their chests. She was surprised to feel the amount of tension that had stiffened Kagome's body. She had her temper tantrums, granted, but nothing like this. "Let's find that lake. I think we all need a break."

Just as suddenly as it had come, the anger drained away, leaving a limp and sheepish Kagome. Inuyasha gave her a speaking glare from around Sango's head. This wasn't over, just put on hold. Kagome found an interesting patch of ground to examine. Sensing that the trouble was finished for the moment, Sango relaxed her stance. Inuyasha growled quietly, having to have the last word, but turned away and stomped in the direction of the lake. Without a word, the rest of the group got up and followed the hanyou's lead.

The lake was a fifteen minutes walk from the road through thick underbrush and closely growing trees. By the time they reached it, they were covered in scratches that stung from their sweat. Finally breaking through the edge forest, they found themselves on a narrow sandbar at the edge of the water. The walk was worth the discomfort – the water was glassy smooth and crystal clear, reflecting the dense forest that surrounded it. To their left, the sand bar widened and sloped gently into the still water. Kagome and Sango sighed in pleasure simultaneously, both anticipating a cool dip after the hot morning. They glanced at each other and smiled happily.

An enormous tree with far-reaching boughs grew at the edge of the sandbar, and it was under this tree that the group deposited their packs. Kagome took care to steer clear of Inuyasha, who was pointedly ignoring her anyway. Shippo, who had regained his normal exuberance, was more than enough distraction as he waded into the shallows of the lake, splashing around and grabbing at fish. Miroku and Sango wandered off together down the sandbar, around a bend, and behind a screen of trees. Kagome gazed wistfully after them from her seat on the sandbar.

An especially large splash called her attention back to Shippo, who had slipped and fallen backward into the water. Not an especially good swimmer and still very young, he started to panic when his feet no longer touched ground.

"Help! Help! Kagome!"

"I'm coming Shippo! You're OK, see?" she said as she helped him right himself and put his feet back on the lake bottom. "I really need to teach you to swim."

"I can swim" he pouted.

"Sure you can, when you've got an inflatable ring. Try to be more careful." She waded back out of the lake and tried to shake the sand out of her school uniform. 'Well, this needed to be washed anyway.' She fished her bathing suit from her big yellow backpack and as an afterthought, grabbed a bag of potato chips. Finding a private spot where she was certain no one could see her, she struggled out of her uniform and into her bathing suit. She tore open the bag of chips as she headed back down to the water's edge, absently shoving handfuls of chips into her mouth and scanning around their campsite for a good place to do her laundry. The boulder peaking up from the water about three feet from the shore would do nicely, she though, as she finished the chips and crumpled the bag in her hand. A faint birdcall echoed across the water and she squinted in its direction, shading her eyes from the sun. 'A youkai crane?' She glanced at Shippo for his reaction. He was still splashing happily. 'Must not be worth worrying about.' Absorbed in her self-appointed tasks, she did not notice the hanyou's eyes following her from the lower branches of the tree.

The sun had set and dinner had been cleaned up when a now human Inuyasha decided to confront Kagome about her strange behavior. Her enhanced hearing, sense of smell, not to mention the fact that she had been eating her body weight, had him concerned. Her temper had gotten nasty, too; she had almost growled at him at dinner over the last bit of waterfowl. All of these changes had developed overnight. He was positive that she had been normal yesterday. As a human, he lost his keen youkai senses and would not be able to sniff out any physical problems, but whatever it was, she was going to tell him tonight.

His moment fell into his lap when Kagome left the light of the fire and wandered off along the edge of the lake. He waited until she had gone around a bend was hidden behind a stand of trees, then got to his feet and followed her.


	3. Flight

A/N: James Lee, Heather, and Raven Akemi Kunishiro: Thank you for the encouragement. It means a lot to me.

Disclaimer: I don't not own Inuyasha or any of the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 3 – Flight

Kagome let her feet take her where they wanted to go. As much as she loved her friends, she had to be alone for a while. The talking and laughter, normally welcome, comforting sounds, were hurting her ears. Worst of all, every time she looked at Inuyasha, she him in Kikyo's arms. She could hear footfalls behind her and hoped they would go away. She just didn't want to deal with anything right now. All in all, she was developing a pounding headache.

The footsteps were getting steadily closer, so she sighed and turned around. Silence. She didn't see anyone but she knew he was there; the cedar scent on the breeze identified him.

"You can come out, Inuyasha."

Slowly, he stepped from behind a tree. She had seen him as a human many times, but his black hair and dark eyes always seemed to take her by surprise. She missed his triangular ears.

"What do you want?" She crossed her arms under her breasts and gave him a stern look.

He mimicked her stance, tucking his arms into his haori. "What the fuck's the matter with you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She tried to keep her mounting anger in check. He was showing concern for her, in his way, but she didn't want to discuss it with him at the moment.

"The hell you do, wench." He stomped up to her until they were almost nose to nose. "Tell me why you could smell the lake."

Her eyes narrowed to slits. Something deep within her recognized his demeanor as a challenge and was not willing to back down. "I don't have to tell you anything," her voice deadly quiet as she slowly leaned toward him, closing the distance between them.

'What has gotten into her? She's responding like a youkai.' He could feel an energy brushing up against him that was completely different than her normal miko aura, which was strangely absent. It raised the hairs on the back of neck and sent a shiver down his spine. He cursed his human form; he would have been able to sense a lot more if he were hanyou. "I can't protect you if you don't tell me what's wrong!" He grasped her shoulders and shook her.

She reacted without thinking, bringing her hand her hands up and shoving against his chest. He stumbled backward several steps and fell hard, landing on his butt and staring up at her, shocked. Her eyes had become a cold ice blue and her lips were drawn up in a snarl. "What makes you think I need your protection? Shouldn't you be protecting your precious Kikyo?" she growled between clenched teeth.

He got to his feet slowly, warily, unsure of what she would do next. Kagome was not a physical fighter. She yelled a lot and osuwaried him, yes, but no more than that. He thanked kami that she didn't carry a knife. "This ain't about Kikyo, it's about you."

Kagome's mind was in a haze; all she could focus on was that her head was about to split apart and that this man had _hurt_ her. She clenched and unclenched her fists in time with the pounding in her head. "It's always about Kikyo. You were with her last night, weren't you."

"What if I was?" He immediately regretted the automatic defensiveness but couldn't quite bring himself to explain. He had been keeping people at a distance for too long. Even his friends were kept at arm's length.

"And I'm just your jewel detector." Menace seemed to radiate off of her as she cracked her knuckles and took a step toward him, but pain shone at the back of her eyes.

"Kagome… I promised to avenge her death, you know that." His voice had lost its usual gruffness. He hated to see her in pain and the fact that he had caused it tore at his insides.

"Then go to her!" she roared, finally losing the battle with the foreign rage. In one bound, she was on top of him, knocking him to the ground. She grabbed the rosary beads that contained his subduing spell and, with a vicious yank, broke the strand. "That's what you want!" She flung a handful of beads into the lake and leapt to her feet. "This pathetic human won't slow you down ANY MORE!" she screamed at him and tore off into the forest.

He stared after her for a moment, then jumped to his feet, scattering the remaining beads over the sand. "Kagome, wait!" He ran into the forest, fully intent on following her, but after a few minutes of crashing blindly though the thick underbrush, realized that it was impossible. She was gone and he couldn't track her in this form.

His shoulders slumped as he made his way back to the scene of their fight, his heart aching and a suspicious burn starting in the back of his throat. He already missed the weight of the rosary. The subduing spell had been a thorn in his side, or a pain in his neck, but it was his first connection to Kagome. Now it was gone; she had broken it. She had left him, for good maybe, and he could do nothing about it.

He replayed the argument in his head. Nothing he had done was out of the ordinary and would never have caused her to react like this, though he really hadn't realized how much she resented Kikyo. Sure, he knew it upset her when he went to see Kikyo. But she had accepted that Kikyo was a part of his life. She had promised to stay with him, despite it. It slowly dawned on him that he might have to tell her how he felt if he wanted to get her back.

The scattered beads were almost lost in the darkness. Only by running his hand over the sand could he find a few of them. Gathering the beads he could find and stowing most of them in his haori, he sighed and glared at his reflection in the lake. Barely visible, a human boy with brown eyes and black hair glared back. Something had been done to her and he had failed to protect her from it. "Some kind of spell," he murmured and rattled the beads his hand. This strange enchantment had not only affected her senses; it had given her much greater strength. He was not a weak human and she had pushed him over as if he were a child. 'But when? The only time she was alone was when she was bathing…'

"The hot spring!" he shouted aloud, and with a new determination, sprinted back toward camp.

She ran as fast as she could, heedless of the twigs that tore skin and pulled hair. Abstract, bloody images flashed through her mind as the forest blurred by. She wanted to bite, slash, maim! Her body vibrated with a growl and her head pounded with a red heat.

A painful stitch in her side finally slowed her down. As her pace lessened, so did the throbbing in her head. Gasping for breath, she collapsed against the trunk of a gnarled oak tree.

The reality of what had just passed came crashing over her. 'What have I done?' Tears welled up in her eyes and she leaned her head back and blinked, trying to keep them from falling. Now that the irrational anger had faded, she was ashamed of her behavior and afraid of the consequences of her actions. 'I left him, all but pushed him to Kikyo'. She pressed a fisted hand against her mouth and choked back a sob.

A pungent, sulfurous scent distracted her from her misery and brought her surroundings into sharp focus. Something was close, and it was nasty. Realizing that she was once again alone and unarmed, she hurriedly grabbed a nearby rock and stood with her back to the tree. She grasped it to her chest and closed her eyes, sending her purifying power into it. Nothing happened.

"Jewel sssshardssss… I ssssmell them," a voice hissed from the darkness. Kagome's eyes shot open in panic. Staring in the direction of the voice, she redoubled her concentration and thrust as much miko energy as she could into the stone. It didn't even glimmer.

Her head was beginning to throb again, and the bloodlust was rising back to the surface of her mind. Clutching her temples with her free hand, she groaned in pain and fear. '_Let me out_' whispered a small voice from deep within her. _'We can win this, you and I'_. "No… I'm a miko." '_You wanted strength and power. We can be very strong'_ "I can't do this!" She wanted to turn and flee but she her legs weren't responding.

The smell of brimstone was almost overpowering, bringing tears to her eyes. She dropped the rock and covered her nose and mouth, trying not to gag. Scales and a long, toothy snout flashed through the brush. '_It's already started. Resist and the lizard will kill you.'_ The voice was right; her miko powers weren't responding and she was alone. She took a deep breath and opened herself to the new power.


	4. Changes

A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you, everyone. I'm enjoying writing this; I'm glad people are reading it! I try to post every couple of days, but I don't have much time to write during the week.

Could someone please explain the difference between fluff, lemons and limes? I plan to do something in one of those categories soon and want to give adequate warning.

I don't know how to spell the name of Sango's weapon. Until I do, I will refer to it as a boomerang. Sorry 'bout that and any other misspellings :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other characters created by Rumiko Takahashi

Chapter 4 - Changes

Sango and Miroku sprang apart as Inuyasha barreled into camp, identical blushes gracing their faces. On seeing the frantic look on Inuyasha's face, their embarrassment was forgotten. He skidded to a stop in front of them, panting. "We have to get back to the hot spring!"

"Inuyasha! What's wrong?" Sango exclaimed, as she reached for her giant bone boomerang.

"Are you being pursued?" Miroku peered around him into the night, but couldn't detect any other presence.

"Where's Kagome?" cried Shippo, tears already starting to form in eyes. "You did something to her, didn't you, you meanie!" He ran up to Inuyasha and, clinging the fabric of his hakama, bit down on his leg, hard.

Inuyasha flailed his leg, trying to dislodge him. "Oi, runt! Knock it off," and with one good kick sent the kit flying backwards. "Listen!" He described the strange changes that had effected Kagome, finishing with their confrontation but trying to leave out as much as he could about Kikyo. Seeing their nods, he knew that they, too, had noticed something odd.

"So she ran off into the woods and you didn't try to stop her?" Miroku asked in disbelief.

Inuyasha tore at his hair in exasperation. "I told you, she was too fast and too strong! On any other night… We're wasting time. We have to go NOW!" he shouted in the monk's face.

"Calm yourself, Inuyasha," the monk said, stepping backward and holding his hands palms out in a placating gesture. "We can't track her at night, not with you in your human form. And we'll never find our way back through the forest to the road." Inuyasha took a threatening step forward, raising his fist and growling.

"He's right, Inuyasha. I want Kagome to be safe as much as you do, but we can't do anything tonight. From what you said, she can probably take care of herself," Sango said and put a staying hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. She didn't voice her concern that since Kagome still had the jewel shards, she would be a demon magnate. She figured that everyone else would be thinking the same thing.

"But what about me?" the little kitsune spoke up. "I could track her! I am a full-fledged demon, after all." He gave Inuyasha a smug look.

"Keh. You couldn't find your ass with both hands, runt," but a glimmer of hope in his eyes belied his harsh words.

"Oh, give him a chance, Inuyasha." Miroku scooped up his staff and followed the kit, who was sniffing at the ground in his best Inuyasha imitation. The three humans followed him as he retraced Inuyasha's steps. It was soon clear, however, that the kit's nose was not made for tracking.

"So that's it, then," Inuyasha stomped back to the fire and flopped down in front of it. He glared up at the branches of the tree, wishing he could leap into them.

Miroku sat across from him. "I suggest we all get some rest and start out first thing in the morning. Are you sure that the enchantment occurred at the hot spring?" he watched Inuyasha closely from the other side of the small campfire.

Inuyasha wouldn't meet his eyes. He gazed out over the lake and squeezed the prayer beads in his hand. "Yeah, when else was she alone?" Sango heard the guilt in his voice, feeling that same guilt in her. She lowered herself tiredly next to the monk.

"It's not your fault, Inuyasha. I was supposed to go with her. If anything, you should blame me." She stared at the ground between her feet. Miroku gave her a sympathetic look and put an arm around her shoulder. She leaned into him, slightly.

"Keh." If he hadn't followed Kikyo, he would have been able to help her, maybe even stop the spell.

"There's no use in laying blame." The monk's hand slowly made its way down her back. "All we can do is hope for the best. Inuyasha, you track her down. Sango, Shippo, Kirara and I will return to the hot spring and try to determine the nature of the spell." His hand reached the end of its journey and squeezed the firm buttock.

Sango sprang up and slapped him across the face. "Hentai! Don't you ever quit? Kagome's in trouble! "

"It was the hand! It's cursed!" He raised the offending hand in supplication and rubbed his stinging face with the other.

Sango glared at him and found a new place to sit, equidistant between the two males.

"Pervert," Inuyasha snorted, scooting up to the base of the tree. Leaning against it, he wrapped his arms around Tetsusaiga and closed his eyes. He wouldn't sleep, he knew it, but anything was better than watching those two fight. 'Kagome, you better be OK.'

Power, unlike any she had felt before, filled Kagome's body. It didn't possess her, like Tsubaki's magic had. Instead, it merged with her, making her limbs tingle. The pounding in her head immediately stopped, to be replaced with a roaring that urged her to fight. Bones cracked, muscles and connective tissues wormed underneath the skin in her hands and feet, and tough nails shot from underneath her cuticles, forming long claws. Her ears lengthened, forming points at the tips. She tasted blood when her canines, top and bottom, loosened and were pushed out by sharp fangs. She absently spit out the old teeth and kicked off the ruined shoes, keeping her concentration fixed on the approaching lizard youkai. A small part of her was aware of the pain that the changes were causing, but most of her mind was consumed by sizing up the strengths and weaknesses of her enemy. Even the noxious fumes radiating from its scaly body had ceased to bother her, though her eyes and nose burned.

She knew instinctively that its soft underbelly was its weakest spot, and that it would be well guarded. She flexed her new claws and bared her fangs in anticipation of bloodshed. "You want the shards? Come get them!" she growled.

A furious hiss answered her, and the lizard shot out of the darkness. She leapt aside just in time to see a clawed hand slam into the tree where her head had been. She slashed at him with her own claws, satisfied when she felt them land and saw several scales fly. The lizard youkai shrieked, reared back and spat at her. She dodged again, but wasn't quite able to avoid all of the sizzling liquid. The smell of her blood and burning flesh filled the clearing. She gasped at the pain in her shoulder but could tell that the acid wasn't poisonous.

She and the lizard circled each other, waiting for the other to make the next move, the lizard low to the ground and flicking its tongue to taste the air. "I tassste your blood, girl. Give me the ssshardsss and I will kill you quickly," the lizard hissed. She sniffed at him. Now that her nose had gotten used to the foul stench of the youkai, she was able to detect another scent.

"You have one of your own, I see." But she didn't see it, and that was a problem. Just as her miko power had failed when she tried to infuse the stone, she couldn't even see a glimmer of the shard. However, she could smell it, a pure, clean scent like the air after a spring rain. 'Can I still purify it?' she wondered. She had always taken her miko power for granted; now she missed it.

The lizard hissed and, rearing back, spat again. Instead of leaping out of range of the acid, she ducked and lunged forward, raking her claws against its soft, exposed abdomen. Blood splattered across her face and body, soaking her school uniform. She spun and landed a kick to the side of its head, feeling her clawed toes catch on hard scales. Jumping back, she surveyed the damage.

The kick hadn't done much but the stomach wound looked fatal. Shrieking in agony, the lizard youkai clutched at its stomach, trying to keep entrails from spilling out. Blood was trickling from its mouth and its breath gurgled in its lungs. 'I have to finish this before it uses the jewel shards to regenerate.' She leapt back at it, knocked aside its weak attempt to block, and sliced it from pelvis to throat. In the spray of blood, she smelled the shard. Letting her instincts guide her, she snatched at the font, closing her hand when she felt the shard touch her palm. With a last scream, the youkai fell dead at her feet.

She backed away from the body and crouched down at the base of the tree. Now that the fight was over, the roaring in her head subsided, leaving her drained and disgusted with herself. Feeling a tear slide down her cheek, she stared down at her claws, one still closed over her new shard. She had never killed anything with her bare hands. She had seen Inuyasha do it many times, but she had always been out of the fray firing arrows or trying to stay out of the way. 'It would have killed me. I had no choice. Right?' The voice that had spoken to her before the fight was silent. She wondered if it was still there or if it was now melded with her own.

"What is happening to me?" she whispered. She was changing, she knew that much. It probably had something to do with the strange carving at the spring. Now that she reflected on it, she realized how much she had changed since kissing the frog, even before the fight with the youkai: the enhanced senses, voracious appetite, increased strength, bizarre mood swings. She hadn't paid much attention at the time and sorely regretted it. She groaned out load and rubbed her temple with her free hand, turning her attention to the shard in hidden in her hand.

She opened her hand, afraid to see what lay inside. The little shard was pink and pure. Kagome let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. 'Then maybe I haven't lost all of my miko power.' A sudden thought froze her blood. 'If I can't see the jewel shards, will Inuyasha still want me around? Now he really _will_ leave me for Kikyo.' She moaned and pressed a hand to her heart that was threatening to crack. 'Idiot. You never had him in the first place.' She pushed the thought from her mind, refusing to deal with it. She would cross that bridge when she came to it.

She swiped at the tears with the back of her hand, smearing the blood that covered her face. 'Regardless, I have to get cleaned up.' She pulled off the torn socks and tossed them into the bushes. The rest of her uniform wasn't much better; it was ripped and soaked in youkai blood. Pulling aside the melted fabric at her shoulder, she inspected her wound. The burn was puckered, red and had been bleeding but didn't hurt that much. It was healing as she watched.

Sighing, she stood and sniffed the air. She couldn't smell the lake, so she had to be far from it. She really didn't want to go back there and face her friends, anyway. 'Great. Now I have to tramp through this stupid forest with no shoes and covered in blood.' She opened the small bottle that contained the other shards, and, wiping lizard blood off of the shard onto the last piece of clean uniform, she slipped the new shard inside. 'The first shard I've found and retrieved on my own. Maybe I'm not so useless.' Smiling slightly and pleased with herself, she picked a direction at random and set off at a quick jog.


	5. Finding Kagome

A/N: Just a warning, I don't have this story outlined or organized. I'm pretty much letting it take me where it wants to go.

Thanks to heather and AnimeMaster168 for your reviews!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other characters created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 5 – Finding Kagome

Inuyasha felt his hanyou blood return as the first rays of dawn broke over the campsite. He heaved a relieved sigh and stretched his tense muscles. He looked over at Sango and Miroku, who were still asleep. Deciding against waking them, he thrust Tetsusaiga into his belt and turned to leave.

"Inuyasha?"

He turned to the quiet voice. Shippo gazed up at him, his eyebrows drawn together and his fluffy tail quivering. Inuyasha bent down and awkwardly patted him on the head. "I'll get her back, don't worry." Shippo blinked and looked like he was about to argue. "You need to stay here and take care of Sango and Miroku. They're just pathetic humans, remember." Shippo nodded and sniffled. "Don't let them sleep too late."

Following the scent of his human self, he found the place he had confronted her. Rosary beads were scattered forlornly over the sand, gleaming in the morning sun. He gingerly picked one up, careful to not touch it too much, and sniffed it. Her scent was still strong on it but it was different than it should have been. The normally floral scent had a musky undertone that stirred his blood. 'I knew something was wrong with her. I shouldn't have waited to talk to her.' He clenched his fist around the bead and glowered. 'If she's not in one piece when I find her, there'll be hell to pay.' Tucking the bead into his haori with the rest of them, he and circled the area until he found where the alluring scent entered the forest.

Now that it was daylight and his hanyou senses were back, her trail was easy to follow. Her scent hadn't faded much and her passage through the brush left branches bent and broken. Every few minutes, he would leap above the treetops to try to find where she was now, but the wind was not in his favor. He would have to follow her the hard way.

After less than an hour of tracking her, the rancid smell of old blood hit his nostrils. For a moment, he panicked, fearing the worst. A moment later he realized that it was not Kagome's blood. At least, most of it wasn't. Increasing his speed, he reached the carcass of the lizard youkai minutes later.

A gruesome sight met his eyes: the lizard had been gutted and was lying in a bloody heap. Flies formed a black undulating cloud and were hovering obsessively over the body. In the heat of the morning, it had started to decay and was releasing foul gasses tinged with sulfur. Covering his nose and mouth with the sleeve of his haori, Inuyasha inspected the area for a sign of Kagome.

He was not disappointed, for he quickly found her discarded shoes and socks. The toes were torn through and the socks were coated with mud and gore. Sniffing around a large tree, he detected another youkai's blood. No, it was Kagome; her scent had changed again, drastically. The musk had all but overpowered the soft floral bouquet with which he was so familiar. The smell intoxicated him. He fought back a growl and pushed an image of soft, silky flesh out of his mind. 'I've spent too much time with that hentai, Miroku.' He was vaguely ashamed of himself. He'd never thought that way about Kikyo, and there was no way he could do… what he wanted to do… with Kagome. 'Baka, she doesn't want that,' but he found himself wondering.

His stomach twisted in fear and his ears pinned back as the scent of her blood led him toward a large oak tree. Four teeth, all belonging to Kagome, lay scattered in the grass. His hand shook as he picked one up. 'Could she have been eaten? Maybe there were two lizards; she killed one and the other ate her?' Frantically, he searched the area for signs of another youkai. Finding none, he calmed the racing of his heart. He brought the tooth to his face and inspected it closely. It wasn't broken or in any way damaged; it looked like it had fallen out on it's own. He breathed in her scent, feeling it hum through him like a drug.

Concentrating on what the scene told him instead of the ache in his loins, he searched for signs of her next move. 'So, she probably wasn't badly injured.' His lips twisted in a smirk, eyes gleaming. 'She sure showed that lizard.' Despite his agitation and concern, he was proud that she had dispatched the youkai without much injury to herself. Her teeth and footgear were a mystery, but she would explain when he found her. Picking up her trail, he raced after her.

The journey back to the hot spring was no more fun than the journey from it had been. If anything, the day was hotter and more humid. They had ridden Kirara part of the way, but the big cat had strained under the heat and their combined weight.

The miserable weather coupled with Shippo's constant whining with and their concern for Kagome, put Sango and Miroku in very nasty moods. Sango had taken offense to anything that came from the monk's mouth. His face had gotten so sore that he stopped talking completely and was now walking alone at the front of the group. He had started off walking behind, but she had pounded him with her boomerang for looking at her ass. Granted, he _had_ been looking. He just didn't think it was fair that she had jumped to conclusions.

He also knew why Inuyasha beat up on Shippo so often. If the kit weren't so young, _he _would have considered giving him a smack upside the head. Every fifteen minutes he would ask a variation of, "Will Kagome be all right?" If he didn't get the answer he wanted quickly enough, he would start sniffling. It wasn't that Miroku wasn't concerned; in fact, he was afraid that something horrible had happened to the miko. He didn't want to be constantly reminded of that fear, was all. He sighed and jingled the rings in his staff.

"What if Kagome -"

"_Shippo…_"

Sango sighed in relief when they finally came across their campsite of two days ago; she was hot, tired, and desperately wanted to change out of her exterminator's uniform. The hot spring was only a short walk up the path and then they would see… what they would see.

The exterminator had doubts about whether they would find anything useful there. Enchantments had to be cast by something. She had learned from training and experience that youkai were fairly predictable: the ones that stuck around usually made their presence known and needed killing. The sneaky ones skillfully hid themselves and rarely stayed in one place for long. Since no one had noticed anything after Kagome had gotten back, and since Kagome herself hadn't mentioned anything, then the youkai had probably not stayed at the spring. Of course, that was assuming the spell had been cast by a youkai. She gnawed on her lower lip. If the spell had been cast by something else, then it was up to Miroku to figure it out.

She looked at the monk from the corner of her eyes. He seemed as lost in thought as she was. Suppressing a shudder, she decided she did not want to know what those thoughts were. His gaze caught hers. "This is the path to the spring?" he asked, gesturing to the small trail that led deeper into the woods.

She made an unladylike snort. "As if you didn't know," she huffed as she started up the path, ignoring his innocent expression. She suddenly stopped in her tracks, grabbed the monk, and shoved him in front of her.

"Lady Sango, if you have any doubts as to my intentions –"

"Save it."

Shippo watched the two for a moment before following after them. 'I'm the most mature person in this group. That's scary.'

"Nothing?" Sango asked from her perch on the boulder.

Miroku sighed, relaxing his stance and opening his eyes. "Not a thing. There are traces of a demonic presence but they are fading quickly. Whatever was here is long gone and may not have had anything to do with Kagome." He rubbed a hand over his face.

They had scoured the spring for any trace of what had enchanted their friend. It was the same as she remembered it: secluded and peaceful, the font of the spring trickling from a crack in the rock wall at the other side of the pool. No evil demonic auras were present. Not even a shikikami or ofuda was to be found. The place seemed undisturbed.

Sango slid off the boulder and landed gracefully on her feet. "Well, that's it then. I suppose we should wait for Inuyasha at the campsite."

"Do you suppose he could have been wrong about the hot spring?" the monk mused as he retrieved his staff, which was leaning against tree.

"Who knows? Without Kagome here to tell us what happened, we really are just grasping at straws."

Quiet sobbing caught her attention. Shippo was sitting at the edge of the water with his head in his hands, his shoulder shaking. "Oh Shippo, don't cry. Inuyasha will find her and he won't let anything happen to her." Sango bent down, picked up the kit and gave him a big hug.

"I-I-I already lost one m-mama, I don't want to lose her t-t-too!" he wailed into her shoulder.

Sango rocked him and made shushing noises. She hadn't realized that the kit had come to think of Kagome as his mother. It made sense, now that she thought about it. He had joined the group shortly after Kagome had started her adventures in the Sengoku Jidai and they had formed a close bond. Kagome was the one he usually ran to for protection. He even slept with her most nights. Having lost her own family, Sango felt for the kit and wanted to spare him any more pain. She and Miroku shared a dark look. They had to find Kagome quickly.

Kagome was making excellent time. She had maintained her brisk pace through the night and into the morning, slowing down only when the heat became too stifling. She didn't feel the need to sleep and she wasn't even that hungry. Once she had gotten used to the changes in her body, she found that she was enjoying her new mobility and strength. Her body dodged branches and leapt over logs seemingly by itself, leaving her mind free to wander. 'I wonder if I can soar through the trees like Inuyasha?' The idea was tempting but she was hesitant to try it. Maybe she would give it a shot when she knew there was a soft place to land. Aside from one stop, the Great Kimono Caper, she had been running since the fight.

She had spotted the village just as the morning sun had peaked over the horizon. Skirting around the edge of a village, she had spied some laundry hanging to dry behind a small hut. She had paused, hiding herself behind the screen of trees at the edge of the yard. The woman of the house had stepped out of the door with another load of damp cloth. Kagome had watched her put it on the line, wondering how to approach her. She must look a fright, barefoot and covered in youkai blood. When the woman had started back into the hut, Kagome had thrown caution to the wind, walked into the yard and called out to her, "Wait, please, ma'am!" The woman had turned to her in surprise, her eyes widening in horror, and she had run screaming inside.

Kagome had stopped short. 'I know I look bad, but come _on_!' A moment later, a man had burst out of the hut, brandishing a rusty sword. "Begone, demon!" Kagome's jaw had dropped in shock.

"I'm not a demon!" she yelled back, but he continued his charge, yelling obscenities. She had turned and fled, grabbing the first thing her hand touched and yanked it off the laundry line. Wadding the fabric into a ball and tucking it under her arm, she had continued her flight until she was positive that no one was still chasing her. Eventually, she had slowed to the more reasonable pace she was now sustaining.

'He must have thought I was a demon because of my school uniform.' It hadn't been the first time someone had mistaken her outlandish cloths to mean that she was youkai. Then she remembered her claws and groaned. 'I wonder what else has changed?' She caught a whiff of a river and sighed in relief, veering to the right and the source of the smell. 'Finally, a bath!'

Shaking out the material in her hand, she regarded it with distaste. She had never stolen anything before and it didn't set well with her. However, it was better than what she had been wearing. It was a youth's kimono, faded but well-made, with embroidered yellow tigers on a blue background. She shrugged into it, the fabric sticking to her skin, which was still damp from her swim in the river. Surprisingly, it fit fairly well, if a little snug. It didn't cover much more that her uniform had, but she was used to that. What _did_ irritate her was that she had no way to keep it closed. 'Why didn't I steal a belt while I was at it?'

A sudden thought struck her. "I wonder…" she murmured as she picked up her uniform blouse and checked under the collar. "Thank you mom!" she cried when she found the safety pin. Her mother's smiling face rose in her mind. "Never leave home without one," Kagome echoed her mother's words. She pinned the kimono closed and prayed that it would hold.

Kagome wandered over to the edge of the river and seated herself on a rock, dangling her feet into the water. She sighed and rested her head in her hands. 'Mom, what would you say if you could see me now?' She hadn't been able to catch her reflection in the swiftly moving stream, but she knew her mother would not miss the claws or fangs. She pushed at one with her tongue. 'Where am I going? I have to go back sometime. My friends will be worried and Shippo will be upset.' She sorely missed the little kit and her heart ached that she would be the source of his pain. The splashing of the river and sun beating down on her was making her eyelids droop. She cracked a huge yawn and stretched. 'Inuyasha will be looking for me.' The thought of him started a slow burn in her abdomen that was slightly alarming but not unpleasant. 'He will find me eventually.' She smiled slightly as she leaned back on the rock, picturing him; long silver hair blowing in the breeze, ears twitching to catch the sounds of the forest but that molten gold gaze fixed only on her.


	6. At Odds

A/N: This chapter is a little short. Sorry. I've also realized that I like writing about Inuyasha/Kagome more than anyone else. I won't ignore the other characters, but they will not be my focus.

Reviewers: you guys made my day. Thank you for the input and support.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other characters created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 6 – At Odds

She was very close: the musk of her scent was maddeningly strong. Inuyasha was amazed that she had managed to travel so far in so short a time. Leaping up through the forest canopy, he caught sight of her on the bank of the river. 'Ha! Found you, wench.' Typical, she had stopped for a bath.

Landing neatly on his feet, he dropped into a crouch and cautiously crept forward. He didn't want to startle her and risk her taking flight. He was also disturbed by the effect her scent had on him. The closer he got to her, the more he had to fight his youkai instincts to run her down and –

He gulped and ran a shaky hand though his hair. He wouldn't, couldn't go there. This was Kagome he was thinking about! He had a responsibility to protect her.

He finally reached the edge of the trees and peeked through. She lay on her back on a boulder, eyes closed, with her feet in the water. He watched her breasts rise and fall with her breathing, admiring the view though the gap in the kimono. Head thrown back and to the side, lips slightly parted, arms splayed to the side, she lay in a position of surrender. He groaned and turned away, sitting down hard. He had seen her in many different states of undress, but never had she been more enticing. He could almost feel her smooth skin under his claws, so warm and soft. His nails would slice effortlessly through the fabric and his tongue would follow, licking the sweat from between her breasts. Her eyes would open and she would gasp his name…

"Inuyasha!"

With a start, he realized that she was sitting up, her eyes wide as saucers, staring at him. He had slunk forward during his fantasy, body vibrating with a low growl, and was now within a few feet of her. He scrambled backward until his back hit something hard, then sat there, flushed and panting, looking at anything but her.

"Inuyasha?" she said hesitantly and leaned slightly forward on her hands. "Are you OK?"

Not trusting himself to speak, he cleared his throat and nodded, his ears flicking in agitation. Her cloying redolence rooted him to the spot. He heard feet touch the ground and crunch through the river rocks toward him. His hands spasmed, digging his claws into the moist dirt. Her toes came into his field of vision and he marveled at the claws that tipped each graceful digit. His gaze traveled the length of her legs, tracing the curve of her hips and waist, lingering over her breasts and finally reached her face. Gold eyes met silver ones.

He smelled the salt before her eyes filled with tears. "Am I that hideous?" she whispered, her silver eyes shimmering like mercury.

Her words took a moment to register; he could barely hear her over the pounding of his heart. "What?" She quickly looked away and crossed her arms over her chest. He got a quick peek of a delicately pointed ear. He shook himself mentally and tore his eyes from her. 'Get a hold of yourself!'

"You… looked so strange… a minute ago. I thought...you were going to attack me." The flash of fangs behind her lips was enough to mesmerize him.

"Keh. Stupid girl," he said, trying to hide the quaver in his voice. Unshed tears dried as her eyebrows shot together in a frown. She glared down at him.

"I'm not stupid!" Her scent shifted from seductive to angry in an instant, giving him a much-needed respite from his instincts. He stood and backed away from her, stepping over the rock that had blocked his path earlier.

"You think _I _look strange?" Now that her scent wasn't driving him crazy, his concern for her was coming to the forefront as anger. "You're alone for one fucking night and look what happens." He gestured vaguely at her claws and stolen kimono. "I can't take my eyes off you for a minute!"

"I got a new shard of the jewel, I'll have you know," she retorted. "By myself!" She stepped up to him and shoved the bottle containing the shards under his nose.

'But at what cost?' he thought, leaning back and eyeing her again. He couldn't detect her miko aura. "Feh. You were lucky, wench. That lizard was weak, even with a shard."

Her aura flared red in fury and her clawed hand connected with his face before either of them realized she had swung, leaving four long gashes on his cheek. He caught her other hand just before it landed, twisting it down and around so that her body had to turn with her back to him. He grabbed her other forearm, effectively immobilizing her. He held her for a moment, then lowered his head to her hair, breathing in. The proximity to her was clouding his mind. Unable to resist, he lightly stroked her ear with the tip of his nose. She gasped and arched her back, her scent spiking. Barely suppressing a moan, he relaxed his grip and pulled away.

She turned to him slowly, eyes downcast, hands twisting into knots. She peeked up at him from under her bangs, then quickly looked away, a blush dusting her cheeks. Could she sense the torture she was putting him through? If her nose were anywhere near as good as his, she would be able to smell his arousal. He desperately hoped that she didn't know how to read the scents.

"Inuyasha…" she whispered, then paused. She enclosed the shard bottle in her hand and gave it an absent tug.

He resisted an urge to stroke her cheek and tucked his arms into the sleeves of his haori. 'What is she trying to tell me?'

"I…" her eyes widened as she let go of the bottle and raised her claws to her face, inhaling the scent of his blood. "I hurt you…" She reached out to touch the scratches. He jerked back from her touch, swatting her hand away.

"It's nothing."

"I'm sorry."

"I said it's nothing."

"But –"

"Damn it, wench!" He relented when she recoiled. "Kagome," he said more gently, "will you tell me what happened? Why have you changed?"

Kagome sighed and pressed the palms of her hands against her eyes. She was so confused. Since she had woken up to a feral hanyou stalking her on the riverbank, she hadn't been able to organize her chaotic thoughts and emotions into anything that made sense. Her first thought had been to flee; he had seemed on the edge of transforming into a full demon. But something had stopped her. A tone in his scent had trapped her, made her want to be caught. The tension had been almost too much to bear and his name had been wrung out of her, breaking the spell.

Then he had behaved so strangely, backing away from her and refusing to meet her eyes. When he had finally looked at her, he seemed to see someone else entirely. 'At least he wasn't seeing Kikyo,' she thought with a hint of satisfaction. Of course, he had to open his big mouth and start an argument, and he had made her so _mad_. But she hadn't meant to strike him. She caught her breath at the thought of his touch when he had captured her. The wild cedar aroma had invaded her brain and his warm breath on her skin had melted her insides, turning her knees to jelly. He had never touched her like before. _No one_ had touched her like that.

He was looking at her expectantly. "Ummm," she stalled. She would have to 'fess up to something. She had tried to tell him about her miko powers, or lack thereof, but the words had stuck in her throat. 'What if he rejects me completely? If I can't be his jewel detector, then what good am I?' But she should tell him what she knew of her transformation. Maybe they could find a way to reverse the effects before her missing miko powers became an issue.

'_Don't tell him, not yet.'_ The strange voice was back, but it seemed much closer than before. Not it, she; the voice was female. 'Why not? Tell him about what, exactly?' _'Not... yet.'_

"I'm waiting," he warned, tapping his foot.

Kagome hesitated. "Well…"

"The hot spring?" he prompted.

She nodded. "There was this little carving of a frog. It…I don't know. I… kissed it –"

"You WHAT?"

"I said I-"

"I _heard_ what you said. Of all the stupid fucking things to do…"

"Hey! Don't go judging me, mister. You were the one off chasing Kikyo! Were you kissing her?"

"Dammit, wench! Stop dragging her into this," he threw up his hands and stomped to the edge of the river. 'Why did she have to bring up Kikyo again?' He felt her eyes boring into the back of his skull as he waited for her to say something. When nothing was forthcoming, he looked at her over his shoulder.

She was staring at him, her eyes hard and cold as steel. Her hands were balled into fists but her face was impassive. He felt a gulf open up between them; he was teetering on the edge.

'He didn't deny it,' Kagome thought as she watched him. 'He wants her, not you.' Her body felt numb.

"I didn't kiss her," he said quietly.

She blinked, but her expression didn't change. 'Maybe not this time, but you still went to her.' Her fists tightened, pushing sharp nails through the skin of her palms.

The aroma of her blood was heavy on the air. He closed his eyes and turned away. "And then what?" She didn't answer, silently challenging him. A growl worked its way up from his chest. "Kagome…"

"Oi, dog-breath! What the hell did you do to my woman?"


	7. The Chase

A/N:

Regarding OOC – I do try to keep them in character and pattern their speech after what I've heard and read. I also try to keep it somewhat true to the timeline, but I am still seeing new episodes and I've just started reading the manga. Interestingly enough, though the anime is quite true to the manga, certain areas of their romance are clearer in the books. Also, I'm reading and watching episodes out of order.

Regardless, Kagome is dealing with a new set of instincts and Inuyasha is reacting to them. When push comes to shove, the characters will do what I want them to 'cause it's my story.

Regarding Osuwari – I read somewhere that in the Japanese version, she didn't use "sit", she used a dog command that meant sit. It appealed to my sense of humor, so I use it. _If_ I get around to verifying it on the Japanese tracks of the DVD and find that this is not the case, I will stop using it.

Angel-of-dark-spirits – Thank you for the spelling of Hiraikotsu.

bookwormJ – Thank you for the descriptions of the terms. Now I can give proper warnings.

To all my reviewers – love you guys!

Warning – a little limey with salt on the rim.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other character created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 7 – The Chase

Shippo had gotten over his bout of crying but was still sniffling as he sucked on the lollipop Sango had found in Kagome's backpack. The sight of the yellow bag had almost started a new round of sobbing but she had assured him that Kagome wouldn't have gone far without it. "See Shippo? Her math book is in here and didn't she say she had one of those 'exams'?" Shippo had nodded and put on a brave face.

Sango and Miroku sat side by side on log. Miroku was absently drawing symbols in the dirt with the end of his staff while Sango turned her brother's mask over and over in her hands.

"Do you think we should-" Miroku started, then paused.

"Go after him?" Sango finished. "I've been thinking about that, too."

"Kagome couldn't have gotten far. With Kirara, we could fly over the area and find him."

"But we don't know in which direction he went. We could be flying for hours before spotting him. Besides, we're supposed to meet him here," Sango pointed out.

"You're right. I just don't like to sit by, idle."

Sango sighed. They were silent for a few minutes.

"Do you think he's found her?" Sango asked finally.

Miroku shrugged. "Who can tell."

"They better not be fighting." Miroku nodded in agreement.

Miroku jumped up. "I have an idea! Why don't I take Kirara and find Inuyasha while you and Shippo wait for him here?"

Sango frowned up at him, "Why should I have to wait here?" Kirara mewed.

"Because, my dear Sango, I would hate to see you put yourself in danger when I could go in your place."

"Uh huh," Sango muttered and crossed her arms. "Try again."

"Because you are so much better suited to care for the young kit than I?"

Shippo pulled the sucker out of his mouth and smacked his lips. "He's got a point, there."

Sango glared at the kitsune. "You _want_ to be left behind?"

Shippo blinked up at her. "I want Kagome back safe more than anything, but I don't want to interrupt them."

"Interrupt what?"

Shippo shrugged and licked the candy. "Kagome kinda smelled like my mama."

Sango froze as the implications hit her. Shippo could mean one or both of two things: that Kagome smelled like a youkai or that she was in a heat cycle. Inuyasha was usually too shy to approach Kagome, but when bombarded by youkai instinct concerning a _demon_ he felt possessive of, especially if she were sending youkai signals… Sango paled. The other option was too frightening to consider.

"Find them, fast," she said and pushed the monk toward Kirara.

Koga stood on the far riverbank, hands on his hips, feet apart, ponytail flying in the breeze. He took exaggerated care to sniff the air. "Kagome, did that mutt hurt you?"

Kagome cringed. This was the last thing she needed. "No, Koga, I'm fine. Thanks."

Inuyasha's growl deepened. "Beat it, wolf!"

Koga ignored him. "Then why are you bleeding?" he looked her over, then sniffed again, eyes widening. He leapt over the river and landed squarely on his feet. Ginta and Hakaku tumbled onto the bank just vacated by their prince, panting for breath and clutching their chests. Seeing the three across the river, their jaws dropped in shock. "Is that our sister?" Ginta asked.

"I think so", Hakaku replied doubtfully.

Koga sauntered up to her. "Kagome! I thought we were tracking a fox demon in heat, but it's you! I'm glad you're finally ready for me, but this is something of a surprise. All that damn Inu-trasha's fault, I bet."

'I have to get rid of Koga, fast.' She laced her fingers together under her chin. "Koga, this really isn't a good time."

"I said, beat it!" Inuyasha roared, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. The presence of the other male demon was kicking his instincts into hyper-drive; Koga was trespassing on _his_ territory.

"It doesn't matter what's happened to you, Kagome. I love you and it's time we were mated," he declared and clasped her hands in his.

The ring of steel on wood brought both of their attentions on Inuyasha, who had drawn Tetsusaiga. "Get your filthy hands off her!"

'Well, that didn't take long,' Kagome thought. Turning back to Koga, she tried to pull her hands from his grasp. "I'm flattered, really I am, but-"

Her words were cut off as she was jerked from her feet and thrust behind Inuyasha's back. He leveled Tetsusaiga with Koga chest. "Today is the day you day die, flea-bag."

"Osuwari!" she shrieked. Her hand flew to her mouth when Inuyasha did _not_ crash to the ground. 'The rosary! I broke it' she remembered the snap of the string, beads flying everywhere. She hadn't considered the consequences of her actions at the time; she hadn't been thinking clearly and had lashed out in pain and anger. A slow smile spread over Inuyasha's face. "Inuyasha, please-"

"I've had enough of this tick-covered mongrel trying to take what doesn't belong to him."

"Stand aside, insolent puppy. She _is_ mine!"

"That's where you're wrong," Inuyasha snarled, and swung Tetsusaiga in a slow arc, positioning himself for attack. "She's mine."

'They're really going to do it, this time. If I can't stop them, they'll tear each other apart!' Kagome was frantic to keep the violence from escalating. She stepped from behind him with the intention of using her body as a barrier between the two aggressors. 'Wait, _what_ did he just say?' Before she had taken another step, Koga grabbed her and dragged her to him, swinging her around so that her back was pressed against his chest. He snaked an arm over her shoulder and across her chest.

"Good choice, Kagome. This pup isn't worth your time," he murmured in her ear. The tickle of his breath shocked her into action. She grabbed the arm that had been draped around her and used his weight to fling him up and over her shoulder. He landed with a thud next to Inuyasha.

"I'm not a piece of property! Either of you!" She pointed a clawed finger at the two males, her silver eyes blazing with indignation, her musk of her scent spicy with anger. Two pair of eyes returned her gaze with a frightening intensity.

Koga raised himself to a crouch, a fanged smile on his lips. "Then why don't we settle this the old-fashioned way. If you're demon enough, that is," he growled to Inuyasha, but his eyes didn't leave Kagome.

"Keh. Fine with me," Inuyasha retorted, sheathing Tetsusaiga and dropping into a similar crouch.

'What's wrong with these two?' Kagome wondered, unconsciously taking a step backward, shivering. 'They're waiting for me to do something.' The two males still stared at her predatorily, leaning forward ever so slightly each time she stepped back. She felt like a rabbit caught in headlights. "Guys?" her voice quavered.

"Kagome!" Ginta called over the river.

She looked at him, eyes pleading.

"Run!"

"What!" Kagome glanced at the two demons in front of her, then back to Ginta who was grinning like a fool and nudging Hakaku. 'All they need is popcorn,' she thought distractedly. Her heart was starting to pound, a haze creeping into her mind. Suddenly, running didn't seem like such a bad idea.

"Whoever catches you gets to lay his claim!" Hakaku yelled back.

Ginta waved at her, trying to be reassuring. "Don't worry, Koga can't use the jewel shards in his legs and Inuyasha can't use his sword!"

A cry, suspiciously close to a bark, riveted her attention back to the males in front of her. They looked ready to pounce. "How could you agree to this?" she flung at Inuyasha. His gold eyes gazed back, very little humanity left. 'This is insane!' She took several involuntary steps back, the urge to flee becoming irresistible as her mind clouded. "You can't be serious," she whispered, but deep down, she understood the truth. Her demon blood was calling to them; she was playing by youkai rules, now. 'Inuyasha, you had better be fast,' she prayed as she spun on the ball of her foot and sped off down the riverbank.

With a crunch and a yelp, the chase was on. Glancing behind her, she saw Koga sprawled in the dirt, Inuyasha already at the front of the race. Koga sprang forward and onto Inuyasha's back, knocking him flat, then took the lead with another mighty leap. 'They're serious, all right.' Inuyasha scrambled up and barreled into Koga, knocking them both into the water. As the sounds of splashing faded behind her, she veered off into the trees.

She let her instincts guide her through the forest, her feet barely touching the ground. Trees blurred by as she gave herself to the freedom of running. 'Feels like flying,' the thought skittered across her mind. A crash behind her spurred her to increase her pace. She couldn't tell who it was; Inuyasha's cedar scent was mixed with Koga's sagebrush. Normally, she would have been able to pinpoint Koga's exact position by locating the jewel shards in his legs.

Wait, she _could_ sense the jewel shards – she could smell them. 'Maybe I can use this…' she thought distantly. The trees thinned until she broke through into a grassy field. Riding the rush of adrenaline and youkai power, she launched off the ground. Glancing down, she saw the boys clear the forest in a jumble of limbs. Koga had bitten down on one of Inuyasha's triangular ears; Inuyasha socked him in the gut, dislodging him. She touched down lightly and thrust off the ground again, her hair streaming behind her.


	8. The Mark

A/N:

I apologize in advance for this chapter – I've drunk too much wine and cannot proof read properly. It seems OK now, but I'm sure I'll find stuff when I sober up. If it's too bad, I will revise it later.

AnimeMaster168 – oh, Inuyasha/Kagome all the way.

heather – movie theater butter, s'il vous plait!

The Only Way You Go – here you go.

Sangome – she doesn't look too different, but she is still changing.

Warning: Little bit more limey than the last chapter.

Chapter 8 – The Mark

The forest had been suspiciously quiet for the last several minutes, but she wasn't about to stop running. Did they split up and circle around her? She had no illusions about her speed; she knew the reason she had gotten as far as she had was because they were trying to prevent the other from chasing her as much as they were chasing her themselves. She also knew that she couldn't maintain this pace for much longer.

She dared a quick peek over her shoulder and flared her nostrils, trying to catch their scents. Still nothing. Maybe should could take a quick breather after all? Or slow her pace the tiniest bit? _'Hide.' _ Kagome almost missed a step when the feminine voice whispered in her mind. 'Are you crazy? They'll sniff me out in a second!' The voice laughed, a pleasant, soothing sound, _'We are almost one; my power is yours. Hide your scent.'_ 'How?' she asked, but the voice had retreated. 'Great, just like Myoga, disappearing when I need her most.'

Her legs were beginning to feel like rubber and something was irritating the skin of her waist. 'Hide my scent… what did she mean, almost one?' She caught a whiff of jewel shards to her right and behind her. 'Koga! He's close!' She swerved to the left and pushed herself to run faster. "I have to try," she muttered to herself. Reaching down into herself as she did when tapping into her miko powers, she concentrated on masking her scent.

She groped blindly for a moment, then felt a click. Tendrils of pink energy swirled tightly around her then drew in. 'I did it!' Smiling in triumph, she jumped up into the trees. Changing direction again, she leapt from branch to branch through the canopy. Behind her, she heard a hoarse curse and the crack of a trunk being broken. 'Good, he's lost me.' Confident that she had thrown him off her trail, she vaulted higher into the branches until she couldn't see the ground.

Perched on a sturdy branch where it connected with the trunk, Kagome inspected the thing scratching her side. She groaned when she found the source of irritation; the safety pin holding her kimono closed was bent and threatening to come loose. She worked it out of the fabric and tried to bend it back into shape, scratching herself in the process. She popped the finger in her mouth, careful to not cut her lips on her claws. 'No matter, it will heal as fast as the cuts on my palm.'

Inuyasha slipped through the trees like a shadow, single-mindedly focused on his prey. Now that his mangy rival was off his back, he could concentrate. He chuckled at the memory of the thud made by Koga's body hitting the base of a large tree. Then, he had taken to the branches, knowing that the less nimble wolf would have to stay on the ground to keep up.

Baring his fangs in a snarl, eyes tingeing red, his demon blood struggled for domination. Dimly, he heard his human side screaming at him. He smothered it; his human blood had gotten him into this trouble in the first place. It had left her unclaimed and him doubting himself, pining for a dead woman. His youkai had no indecision; Kagome would be his.

Her scent, so strong moments before, was dissipating rapidly. He growled in frustration. 'How…?' He paused and tested the air. There was no mistake - her scent was gone. His ears flicked, catching the sounds of the forest and straining for anything that might give him a clue to her whereabouts. His only consolation was the string of obscenities from his opponent; Koga had lost her as well.

The ornery pin sprang out of her hands with a ping. Kagome scrambled to catch it, missing it by fractions of an inch and almost losing her seat in the tree. 'Wardrobe malfunction,' she sighed. 'Hmmm…what to use as a belt.' She grasped the bottom edge of the kimono and gave an experimental tug. It tore cleanly at the hem but she winced at the noise. 'I can't run around in an open kimono, so I guess it can't be helped.' She ripped the rest of the hem from the edge and wrapped it around her waist, tying it in a knot. 'They would have heard that.' She gave the area a cursory glance then silently bounded away.

Inuyasha's ears locked on the sound of tearing fabric. He hurdled himself toward it, heedless of the noise he was creating. Subtle but unmistakable, he caught a whiff of her blood. His own blood burned in response and he maimed branches in his frantic desire to find it. He howled in fury when he found the source - a small metal pin stuck in the moss growing on the tree. Her musk covered the pin but there was no trace of her on that tree. He glared up into the branches, then shot into them, stopping when he detected her scent again.

Hunching down over the branch where the smell was strongest, he inspected the area for a sign of her. Finally, he found it, a small blue thread from her kimono. He pinched it between two long claws and ran his tongue over his fangs. She was very close. Despite his frustration, he was really enjoying this hunt.

He launched from the branch and into the sky, eyes raking the forest below. He was rewarded with a flash of blue through the treetops. Stifling a shout of triumph, he flung himself toward her fleeing figure. So intent on his prey, he almost missed the sagebrush scent of his rival. "That bastard is following me," he growled.

They were closing in on her - she could smell them. The jewel shards were behind her but rapidly approaching. Inuyasha was flying above like a red-robed angel. Another scent came on the breeze, familiar, but one she couldn't quite place. She dismissed it with a shake of her head; there was no room in her mind for anything but the chase. She was so exhausted that instinct alone kept her leaping from branch to branch.

The trees ended abruptly at a large clearing, making her pause. She bunched her muscles to spring into the center but was borne to the ground by a heavy weight on her back. As she crashed through the branches to the ground, the weight was thrown clear, but she lost her hold mask she had put around her scent. Twisting in the air, she landed on her feet facing Inuyasha. His golden eyes were bleeding red, faint slashes touching his cheeks. Glaring at her from under his bangs, he roared at her. Though unintelligible to humans, she understood the words in it: "Come, mate!" She shrieked back in the primal youkai tongue, "Catch me!"

A brown blur surrounded by the clean scent of the Shikon jewel broke through the trees, distracting them both. Inuyasha recovered quicker, lunging forward and knocking her to the ground, flattening her with his body. Koga skidded to a stop mere inches from tumbling on top of them, then backed away slowly, shoulders sagging in defeat. Inuyasha dug his claws into his prize and he raised his head, snarling at his beaten rival. Dropping to his knees, the wolf demon threw his head back and howled. With a last look at his would-be mate, Koga pushed himself to his feet and staggered off into the trees.

Inuyasha gazed down at Kagome, silver hair cascading around his face like a curtain. Silver eyes stared back up him, hooded by thick lashes. Her black hair glinted with opalescent highlights and spilled over the grass like ink. A faint smudge marred the skin of her forehead. Rumbling low in his chest, he lowered his head and buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent. 'Mine,' the tenent pounded in his head as the red leeched from his eyes.

Kagome lay limp, utterly spent. She was breathing hard from the chase; each breath pressed her to him, sending sparks of heat through their bodies. He crushed her under him, capturing her lips in a fierce kiss. Her lips parted, allowing him entrance and meeting his need with a passion of her own. His tongue flicked into her mouth, tasting her sweetness. She sank her claws into his hair, holding his head to hers.

Miroku searched the ground from Kirara's back, desperate to find any sign of Inuyasha or Kagome. Kirara had led them this far; luckily, she had caught a whiff of one of them and had flown at top speed, following her nose. A flash of silver and red registered in the corner of his eye. "Over there, Kirara," he shouted, pointing with his staff. The fire cat cornered in the air and swooped down to where the red blur had disappeared into the trees. Moments later, a mournful howl rent the air. 'What can this mean? I hope I'm not too late,' Miroku's brow furrowed in concern.

As soon as the cat had landed in the clearing, Miroku sprang off her back. The hanyou was laying in the grass, oblivious to his presence. No, he was laying _on_ something. The monk gasped when he spied the black hair mingling with silver.

"Inuyasha! Don't do anything you will regret later!"

Inuyasha's eyes fixed on the monk, then turned back to the woman pinned beneath him. She gazed back up at him, seeming not to notice the monk or fire cat. Now was the time, he had to make his claim. The monk would not stop him.

He kissed her again, his youkai energy flaring and pulsing against hers. She twined her energy with his, arching her back and pressing her breasts against his chest. Her head fell back, exposing her soft throat. Tracing her artery with his tongue, nibbling her jaw, he slid his knee up the inside of her thigh. His nipped her lips with his fangs, drawing small beads of blood. Writhing beneath him, her youkai instincts were fed by his ministrations. Every touch scorched her, melted her, left her wanting more.

The heady aroma of her filled his world; she wanted him as much as he wanted her. His youkai crackled around him then suddenly withdrew into his chest. 'MINE!' his youkai screamed in his head and his lips slammed into hers, bruising them, forcing her head to the ground. From his chest, through his throat and past his lips, a ball of energy shot into her. Her silver eyes widened and her body went rigid as the energy raced down her spine. The sphere burned through her and exploded at the small of her back, sending tentacles of power into her core that latched into her very being.

A soft whine escaped her lips, echoing the fading cry of the feminine voice that had inhabited her. '_…One…'_ At the back of her mind, Kagome knew that the voice was gone. A crimson eight-pointed star coalesced on her forehead, replacing the indistinct smudge.

Inuyasha kissed her slowly, languidly, relishing the feeling of her body and the thrum of his mark in her. Pulling back to gaze down on his mate, his golden eyes found the star on her forehead. He brushed his claws over her face in wonderment. 'Where did this come from?'

Miroku held back, hesitant to approach the couple. He didn't know what had just passed between them but was sure that he didn't want to "interrupt", as Shippo had put it. Cheeks burning in embarrassment, Miroku turned his back to them and stared at the ground. Was this what Sango had been afraid of?


	9. Reunion

A/N:

AnimeMaster168 – Miroku, perv that he his, thought Sango was worried about them mating. He hadn't realized that she had changed so much.

Inupupluvr – all will be revealed, eventually.

Sangome – that's right.

Thanks for all the feedback! It's good to be read…

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other character created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 9 – Reunion

The sun was an orange ball of fire on the horizon, struggling against the forces that were extinguishing it and setting the sky aflame. Kirara sailed through the burning sky with three figures on her back.

Inuyasha gazed at the spectacular sunset over the top of Kagome's head. He'd never taken the time to do things like watch sunsets before he'd met the sleeping girl in his arms. She had awoken him to many things and enjoying simple pleasures was among them.

They had both passed out shortly after the marking. Inuyasha had awoken minutes later, stealing back from sleep with a delicious lassitude. The feel of his mate under him had filled him with a warm contentment that he hadn't felt since his mother died.

"Inuyasha, what have you done to Kagome?" Miroku's soft voiced had shocked him to full wakefulness and lucidity had returned like a plunge in an ice floe. He had pushed himself into a cross-legged sit, positioning himself between Kagome and the monk.

"I … marked her."

"What? You marked her? A human? A _miko_?" Miroku had blustered.

"You want I should let _Koga_ mark her?" Inuyasha had narrowed his eyes and hunched protectively over his mate.

"She shouldn't have been marked at all! Only demons are marked by their mates…" Inuyasha had nodded when he had seen comprehension dawn in the monk's face. "You're saying…but…"

"She ran, Miroku. She accepted the chase."

Miroku had sighed and gazed at Kagome, noticing Inuyasha moving his body slightly to block his view. "So this makes you… mates."

"…Yeah." A slow blush had crept up the hanyou's face.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Miroku hadn't been able to help himself. He knew he shouldn't, but even the insides of the hanyou's ears were pinker than normal. "But you haven't-"

"That ain't none of your damn business!" The flush deepened.

"Because if you need some privacy I could take Kirara-"

"Shut up before I make you!" Inuyasha's knuckles had popped loudly as he flexed his claws, his face a spectacular shade of crimson.

Miroku's shoulders had shook with suppressed laughter but he knew when to relent. "Ok, ok, if you're sure."

"Fucking pervert."

'Damn hentai,' Inuyasha scowled and tightened his grip on Kagome as he thought back. He remembered everything about the chase and had no regrets, though he was chagrined that his youkai had done for him what his human blood would not. He had never thought of himself as a coward, but it occurred to him that languishing over a woman he couldn't have had been a craven way of avoiding rejection by the woman he could have.

She had remained asleep through their fight and their subsequent efforts to wake her. So much had happened in the past two days, it was no wonder that she was exhausted. He brushed an idle strand of black hair from her face, lightly stroking the star on her forehead. How would she feel, now that her demon blood was no longer in control? Which brought him back to the question: What had happened to her?

Kirara landed gently in the campsite, greeting an overjoyed Sango with a flick of her two tails. Sango's relief at their return faded rapidly when Inuyasha eased a still unconscious Kagome off of the cat's back. Shippo hurled himself at Kagome with a cry, only to be caught by the tail in Inuyasha's clawed hand.

"Wahhh! Let me go, Inuyasha!" Shippo flailed in the air, trying to catch hold of Kagome.

"Not yet, brat. Let her sleep," but Inuyasha let him scramble up his own shoulder.

"Is she OK?" he asked tentatively, peering down at her.

"She's fine, just tired," Inuyasha said quietly and carried the girl to the small campfire. Shippo was concerned but she didn't smell sick. In fact… Shippo looked up at Inuyasha in surprise. 'It's about time!'

Inuyasha didn't notice Shippo's wide-eyed stare. He sat near the edge of the fire and tucked the sleeping woman into his lap, folding her into the voluminous sleeves of his haori.

Sango knelt in front of them. "Inuyasha, let me look at her." Inuyasha's eyebrows shot together in a scowl. "I just want to make sure she's all right."

"She's fine, I said," he ground out.

"You aren't the only one who loves her, you know," Sango snapped.

"I know that!" he snapped back, then realizing what he had said, stumbled, "I-I mean…dammit." Inuyasha grudgingly relaxed his grip.

Sango rolled her eyes. "It's not like it isn't obvious. To everyone but Kagome, that is." She touched the girl's pointed ears, pulled back her lips to reveal fanged teeth, lifted a closed eyelid and noted that the brown eyes were now silver, all the while murmuring to herself. Lastly, she fingered the crimson star on her forehead. "Was she like this when you found her?"

"Mostly," Inuyasha fidgeted under Sango's intense stare.

"Mostly?"

"Everything but the star…" he wouldn't meet her eyes.

"And when did the star appear?" Sango searched his face for the answer.

"After…"

Miroku spoke up, "He marked her."

Sango sat back on her legs and regarded him in disbelief. "Are you sure?" He nodded. "Hmmm…Inuyasha," she hesitated. She knew that demons were possessive of their mates but it couldn't be helped. "… I need to see your mark."

His head snapped up, golden eyes blazing. Sango put her hand on his shoulder, trying to convey her sincerity. "Just me, Miroku will leave," she shot the interested monk a speaking glare, then turned her attention back to the hanyou. "Please."

Inuyasha glanced from Sango to Miroku, then back. "Just you."

"I am a man of the cloth! I-"

"LEAVE", two voices shouted in unison.

The monk put on his best innocent face walked into the forest. His voice trailed back to them, "…I am so misunderstood."

Shippo, forgotten for the moment, perched on Inuyasha's shoulder and held his breath.

Inuyasha adjusted the woman in his arms so that her chest was against his chest, her head on his shoulder, her back exposed. Then he paused, flustered. The kimono she was wearing would not allow Sango easy access to the small of her back. Sango understood the problem and reached around Kagome's waist, untying the makeshift belt and loosening the fabric of the kimono. Tugging on the fabric, she lifted the bottom edge until she could see Kagome's lower back.

"Inuyasha, what is she wearing?" she asked, fingering the ragged material.

He shrugged awkwardly, trying to control his blush.

"Well," Sango eyed the mark speculatively. Resembling a scar, the silvered lines formed an encircled 'I' in the center of her lower back, level with her hips. "It looks like her body accepted the mark."

"Keh. Of course it did."

Sometimes he could be truly dense. "'Of course' nothing. You know that humans can't be marked like this." She lowered the fabric, covering Kagome's back. "The presence of this mark will make undoing the enchantment much more difficult, if not impossible. It binds the demon blood to her."

"But her miko powers-"

"Mikos are human, Inuyasha." She rubbed a hand over her tired eyes. "I take it you haven't finished mating?"

"I…uh…Miroku was…uhh." His face glowed scarlet.

"Is she in heat?"

"…uhhhh," he stammered.

Sango sighed and stood, looking down at the couple "I'll take that as a 'yes'. Try not to do anything else without thinking about it first."

"W-what's that supposed to mean?" he growled, trying to recover from his embarrassment.

"You figure it out," she snapped and followed after Miroku.

Inuyasha stared after her retreating figure, puzzling over her words. Then, realization dawned and his flush returned in full force.

A/N:

Just a note before I get yelled at - Kikyo, as far as I understand it, is undead but still human. Meaning, she isn't a demon like Sesshomaru, Shippo, or even Naraku. Since miko power purifies demons, it's plausible that a miko couldn't be monoke. It is on this premise (which could be false) that I am basing Kagome's demon/miko conflict.


	10. Our Lady of Recycled Souls

A/N: Sorry for the lateness of this chapter. I have one house in escrow and I'm preparing our current house for walk-throughs. I will post when I can, but until escrow has closed and we've moved, infrequent postings will become the rule instead of the exception. Don't give up on me – I promise I will finish.

Fluffyrachel – I like fluff, too. I also like angst…

Sangome – yes, absolutely delish. I think it's the ears and that gorgeous hair. drool

InuyashaMaster, elena – I'm getting to that…

AnimeMaster168 - Dialog is tricky. I went over this several times, trying to get it right. Do you want to be a beta?

All reviewers – as always, thank you for the feedback! By the way, the offer of beta-ship is open to anyone who is interested.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other character created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 10 – Our Lady of Recycled Souls

Kagome was floating in warmth, surrounded by soft blankets. "Mmmm," she murmured and snuggled in closer. 'I must have gone home and gone to bed and all of this has been a weird dream.' She pressed her face into the pillow and wrapped her arms around it. 'Did mom change my pillows? They seem a lot more firm than usual.' A rich cedar scent curled around her, somehow more comforting than the bedding, and she sighed in happiness, tightening her arms.

"K-kagome?"

"Just five more minutes," she mumbled. Inuyasha must have followed her home, but she felt too good to get out of bed right now. And that wonderful cedar aroma…wait a sec…doesn't Inuyasha-?

Her eyes popped open and she sat up like a shot, tangling herself in what she now realized were Inuyasha's robes. Her sudden movement startled him and they both fell over. Kagome's breath whooshed from her lungs as he landed heavily on top of her. Faces mere inches apart, they blinked at each other.

"Come Sango, let us give these two some privacy," Miroku said magnanimously and stood.

Inuyasha and sprang up and bared his teeth at the monk, growling. He had never taken teasing very well and this evening was no exception. Kagome pushed herself into a sitting position, pressing her hands to her burning cheeks.

Sango had had enough of Miroku's jokes, as well. He had been making innuendoes since they had arrived and if the hanyou had not been holding Kagome, the monk would have black and blue by now. Normally, she would have been amused; Inuyasha was extremely fun to torment. However, Kagome had a lot to deal with right now and teasing wouldn't help. She picked up a small stone and launched it at the monk's thick head, satisfied by the thunk it made when it hit his skull.

"Ow!"

"Can it, monk. Now is not the time."

Miroku rubbed the rising knot and had the decency to look sheepish.

'Everything seems so normal,' Kagome thought as her gaze brushed her friends. The company was camped around a merry little fire. Squirrels roasted on spits, fat sizzling in the heat. Hiraikotsu leaned against a tree next to Miroku's staff. Even her bulging yellow backpack had been piled with the other camping gear.

"How long have I been asleep?" Kagome, cheeks still pink, stared at them with wide, silver eyes that caught the firelight, refracting it into rainbow hues that seemed to dance with a life of their own. Miroku gasped and Sango's heart lurched. It was one thing to _see_ the changes, but another matter entirely to hear their dear friend's voice come from a stranger's face.

'Oh, Kagome!' Sango gazed in sympathy at the friend she loved like a sister.

Inuyasha knelt behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing his cheek to hers. "A few hours. How do you feel?" Now that she bore his mark, her scent didn't drive him so crazy, but the desire to touch her was overwhelming.

"Uh," Kagome felt the blush returning. "Fine, I guess." He had never been so openly affectionate before. She wasn't quite sure what had passed between them in the forest, but it had obviously changed their relationship. And it felt good to be held by him. Not just good – right, at an intuitive level. She leaned against him, drawing solace from his embrace.

"This morning, you were telling me about a frog carving at the hot spring," he prompted.

'That was this morning? So much has happened…' Kagome shook herself mentally to clear her thoughts.

Miroku furrowed his brow. "Sango and I searched the spring. We found nothing like that."

Sango nodded. "He's right. We didn't see anything out of the ordinary."

"It was there, I remember it clearly," Kagome gazed up at them in confusion.

Shippo crawled into her lap. "A-are you sure it was a frog?" His tail was quivering and his bright eyes were clouded with worry.

Inuyasha glowered down at him suspiciously, tightening his arms. "That's what she said. What do you know, Shippo?"

Shippo flinched and leaned into Kagome's stomach. "My pa once told me about an old kitsune trick for preserving one's soul. The dying fox sends his youkai into a vessel. When someone with a weakened soul touches it, the youkai is transferred from the vessel to the host and merges with the host's body. The vessels disappears after the soul is gone."

Miroku stroked his chin, his eyes thoughtful. "What do you mean, 'weakened soul'?"

Shippo paused a moment, then shrugged. "That's all he said."

Kagome gasped, pressing a clawed hand against her heart. "Kikyo still has a piece of my soul. That could have made me susceptible to the spell!"

Miroku nodded at her, then turned back to Shippo. "And you think the carving was one of these vessels? Wouldn't it have been a fox, not a frog?"

"Kitsunes are illusionists and shape shifters. The vessel could be anything it wanted," Sango pointed out.

Shippo crossed his arms and shook his head. "The shape of the vessel is chosen to fit with the surroundings. Frogs at water, monkeys in the forest, that sort of thing."

"Shippo, did your father explain how to break the spell?" Inuyasha interjected.

He shook his head. "It's not meant to be broken. This spell is cast only as a last resort if the kitsune had something important left undone."

Inuyasha humphed impatiently. "So, if we figure out what was so important to it-"

"Her," Kagome said quietly.

"What?"

"Her. The kitsune was female, I heard it in her voice."

"Fine, _her_, and take care of it, will the kitsune leave Kagome's body?"

Shippo shoulders drooped and he hung his head. "I don't know. I'm sorry, Kagome."

Kagome scooped the kit into a big hug. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Shippo. It's not your fault." Shippo closed his eyes and snuggled into her. His adopted mother smelled so close to his real mother that he could almost hear her voice singing his favorite lullaby. With a guilty twinge, he found himself hoping that she would stay this way.

"How do we know for certain if this actually was a kitsune soul vessel?" Sango asked, unconvinced.

Shippo regarded her over his shoulder with liquid emerald eyes. "Kagome smells like a fox youkai. I can hardly smell any human on her at all."

Miroku prodded one of the roasting squirrels for doneness, then pulled the skewers from the ground and distributed them. Inuyasha broke his embrace and settled into a cross-legged sit next to Kagome, knees touching hers.

Seating himself next to Sango, Miroku bit into his squirrel. "I don't think we _can_ know for certain, but the evidence does seem to point toward it. The question is, how do we exorcise the youkai from Kagome without hurting her."

"We have to speak to Kaede. She may be able to shed more light on this matter," Sango said, keeping an eye on the monk's hands.

Kagome stared into the flames, nibbling her dinner and debating with herself. 'They still don't know that I can't see the shards. I wanted so badly to be strong and powerful, but I never really appreciated the power that I had. What should I do?' She grimaced at the firm, stringy texture of the flesh. 'This would be better if it were a little more rare. At least my appetite is back to normal.'

Inuyasha watched her finish impatiently. He knew that she had questions and he also knew that she wasn't telling them everything. She might be able to fool the others, but he could sense her hesitancy and confusion through their bond. The sooner he could get her alone, the sooner he could resolve these issues.

The moment she was done, he stood and tugged her to her feet. "Come on, Kagome."

She looked at him surprise. "Where are we going?"

"To find some privacy," he said, giving Shippo, who had been unceremoniously dumped from Kagome's lap, a speaking glare. He pulled her from the campsite and into the trees, breaking into a sprint. Bewildered, Kagome followed, easily keeping pace. As they ran together in silence, Inuyasha marveled at the joy filling him. Somehow, he felt freer running with his mate than he had ever felt running alone. 'My mate,' he thought, smiling at her.


	11. Conundrum

A/N: I will be getting to some action soon, I promise, and I'm nowhere near finished.

Sangome: Thanks! That means a lot to me!

Fluffyrachel: some fluff for you…

Sister dear: since you are playing eq2, I decided to post this the way it is.

I'm working on the dialogue. I'll get the hang of it eventually. Thanks for the constructive criticism!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other character created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 11 – Conundrum

Inuyasha and Kagome sat side by side in the boughs of a giant maple. She stared at the ground between her feet, eyes distant. He watched her face, waiting for her response. Finally she looked up at him and met his eyes.

"What does it mean, to be marked?" she finally asked.

He blinked, unsure of how to answer. Marking was instinctual to youkai; it wasn't explained to pups, it was simply understood. He knew that she felt the effects of the marking by her responses to him, so she must be trying to equate it with something familiar or human. Unfortunately, he hadn't made much of an effort to learn human customs, despite all of the time they had spent together.

He thought back to a ceremony that Kaede performed periodically in the village. Each time Kagome and Sango would get giggly and weepy, there would be feasts and dancing, and the couple around whom all the activity centered would move into the same hut. Pups would follow several months later. He usually made himself scarce during the festivities. Even though the villagers accepted him, he felt out of place. To him, youkai marking was much more meaningful.

"It's the first step in the mating bond. I think it's like being married, for youkai," he said. Her lovely silver eyes widened, sparkling. 'I could lose myself in her eyes and I wouldn't even miss me,' he thought. His gaze traveled down her face to her soft lips. As if aware of his scrutiny, her tongue darted out to wet them, leaving them glistening.

She spoke again, snapping his attention back to her eyes. "But why now? You didn't even look at me before, let alone talk about marriage."

'I've always looked,' he admitted to himself. 'I hid it from you and I tried to hide it from myself.' Dismayed, he saw doubt creeping into her expression.

"This wasn't just to spite Koga, was it?" she couldn't quite allow herself to believe that what she had wanted so badly was now hers. Did he love her or had his possessive streak gotten the better of him?

"What? No! Don't be an idiot." She recoiled slightly and he winced, realizing that he was bungling this, but not sure how to fix it. He had never been good with words. Truth be told, he didn't really know why he had chosen now to make his move, other than his youkai blood had taken over and made the decision for him. How could he explain this to her when he didn't understand himself?

"Then why?"

"Kagome-" he struggled for the right words, then gave up. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to hers, willing her to understand through their bond what he couldn't say. As her lips softened and parted, he deepened the kiss, brushing her tongue with his. He slipped a hand under her hair, cradling the back of her head. Letting him support her, she fisted her hands in his haori and pulled his body closer. He trailed kisses down her jaw and throat, pausing over her pulse point to nibble on the tender flesh. She gasped out his name and let her head fall back.

Her scent curled around him, goading him on, but Sango's warning rang in the back of his mind. With one last kiss in the hollow of her throat, he pulled away.

Kagome's eyes fluttered open and her hands loosened their grasp. "Don't… stop," she breathed, her heart pounding.

He groaned and wrapped his arms around her, pressing her to him, one hand resting on his mark. Just a few more days and they could finish mating. She sighed and rested her head against his chest, feeling the tingling in her limbs subside.

"Uhh, Inuyasha," she asked quietly, twirling a lock of his hair around her finger.

"Hmmm?" he rumbled and flicked his ears.

"Does this mean you're going to marry me?"

He jumped, almost knocking them from their perch. "_Marry_ you?"

"Well, you don't have to sound so disgusted. I was just asking." She yanked her hand out of hair and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Keh. Youkai don't get married," but he sensed her displeasure and his ears flattened.

"Your parents were married," she pointed out, pouting.

"My mother was human!"

"So am-"

"Wench! No you're _not_!" He aghast when he saw tears well in her eyes. "What are you doing? Stop that!"

"You would've married _Kikyo_!" she burst out, dashing the tears out of her eyes with the back of her hand.

He caught her chin, turning her head to face him. When her eyes met his, he spoke, "I marked you, not Kikyo. _You_ are my mate." He kissed away the new tears that had formed.

"But what if you change your mind?" her chin was quivering and another tear left a silvery track down her cheek. He tenderly brushed it off with his thumb. This wasn't about marriage, he was certain. It probably wasn't about Kikyo, either. What could make her doubt him like this?

Kagome gazed into his golden eyes, waiting for his answer and daring him to guess the truth. She had finally gotten what she had wanted for so long, but would he want her when he found out that she couldn't see the sacred jewel fragments? They all counted on her to find enemy youkai's shards and her touch purified the shards so that they could collect them. She and Inuyasha wouldn't have joined forces in the first place if not for her ability to detect the sacred jewel. 'I have to tell him. He'll find out eventually. Will he undo the mark?' She sucked a small piece of lip between her teeth and began to chew on it. On the other hand, their relationship had not been going anywhere until she had changed.

Inuyasha watched in frustration as the uncertainty grew in her face. "Marking is forever."

"And if we exorcise the fox youkai from my body? What then?"

Inuyasha hesitated for a moment. "Is that what's been bothering you?"

He hadn't really thought about that. Only youkai or hanyou could be marked, so what would happen to his mark if she were to become human again? The more he considered it, the angrier he got. He had only just staked his claim and the idea that it could be taken away was infuriating. Marriage was a human convention and didn't mean that much to youkai. He had no illusions that Koga would respect a marriage. Only marking was certain and humans couldn't be marked. His eyes narrowed and he pulled her tighter to him, growling. He would not allow her to be taken from him.

Kagome didn't deny it. It was partly true, anyway, and she couldn't force herself to confess. 'Besides, it's not like I'm blind to the jewel shards. I can smell them. And that jewel shard did purify when I picked it up,' but the thought rang hollow. It wasn't in her nature to lie or conceal anything of importance. She slipped her arms around his waist. At least she could enjoy the time she had now.


	12. Confession

A/N: Yes, they are in an difficult situation. Conflict makes a story interesting. However, I wholeheartedly believe in happy endings.

I was wondering… why did Kikyo's powers weaken when she fell in love with Inuyasha, while Kagome's powers only seem to increase?

Chapter 12 - Confession

Kagome stirred in the circle of Inuyasha's arms, her back resting against his chest, his legs straddling her. 'Did we sleep in this tree all night? Together?' She felt the heat of a blush creeping into her cheeks but she couldn't help but smile. 'I could get used to this.' Inuyasha yawned into her neck, tickling the fine hairs and making her giggle. Delighted that she was happy again, he whuffled into her ear and nipped the lobe, making her laugh harder.

Between giggles, she gasped out, "We really should get back to the others. They'll be worried about us."

"Let 'em worry," he rumbled as teased her ear with his tongue.

"Inu_yasha_!" she squirmed in his embrace, brushing against parts of him that quickly responded. With a whine, he let go. 'Just a few more days,' he repeated to himself. He watched as she pushed herself off the branch and dropped to the forest floor, aroused by her new grace and agility as much as by the revealing kimono that she couldn't quite keep closed. Her uniform had taken some getting used to, but that kimono was much, much worse. Perspiration beaded on his brow as she fussed with the makeshift belt.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" her voice called up to him.

"The end of your heat cycle, wench," he muttered under his breath, leaping down to join her. Preoccupied by the thought of a cold bath, he didn't notice the odd look she gave him when he landed.

'I'll just pretend I didn't hear that,' she thought and stared down at her feet. Wiggling her toes in the dirt, she tried to find something to take her mind off of… that. 'I need to find some shoes. I wonder if my school will allow me to wear sandals? These claws will tear up loafers.' She blinked and her slapped a hand to her forehead, groaning. 'Oh no! My math test! It's in three days and I totally forgot about it! I'll be lucky if I pass this summer class.'

"What's the matter with you all of a sudden?" Inuyasha peered into her face, confused by her sudden change of mood.

"I have to study for a math test," she intoned, her voice despondent.

"Is that all?" he dismissed her concerns with a flick of his wrist and set off at a run toward camp. She took off after him, annoyed. 'He never takes my schooling seriously. He's such a jerk sometimes.' He had already gained a sizable lead and was rapidly outdistancing her. She increased her pace, fuming.

Skidding into camp on his heels, she stormed up to him. "What do you mean, _all_? If I fail this test, I won't have the marks to get into a decent college!"

He smirked, crossing his arms in the sleeves of his haori and staring arrogantly down at her. "Feh. What makes you think I'll _let_ you go back to school?"

Kagome squeaked in outrage, "Just who do you think you are?"

"I'm your mate, that's who, and-"

"If you guys don't mind," the monk's voice cut through their argument, "some of us are trying to sleep."

"We'll discuss this later, wench," he hissed at her. She glared daggers back.

Inuyasha stomped at the head of the group as they headed back to Kaede's village, stewing over the problem of Kagome's schooling. He didn't really understand why she was still studying. Most women her age were mated with pups of their own or, like Sango, were well into their careers. She didn't even seem to like school; she was always complaining about it. Didn't she understand yet that she belonged here, with him? They were mated, for kami's sake! Well, almost…a technical detail that he planned to attend to soon.

Kagome trailed behind the group with Shippo, a comfortable weight in her arms. As much as she hated to admit it, Inuyasha was right about school, in a way. How did she expect to go to school like this? She didn't look human! 'But if he thinks he can prevent me from going home, he's got another thing coming,' she huffed. The wind left her sails with a big sigh, 'Home… is the future really my home? I spend most of my time here, my best friends are here, but my family is there.'

"Kagome?" Shippo tugged on a lock of black hair to catch her attention.

"Yes, Shippo?" she smiled down at him, irritation melting away.

"Since you and Inuyasha are mates, does that mean we're a family?"

Taken aback, her mouth dropped open. "Uhhh…," she stumbled as her mind reeled. She had all but adopted the kit when he had joined their group but _actual_ adoption hadn't crossed her mind.

Shippo cuddled into her chest and picked at her fraying kimono. "I know you two will want your own kits someday, but-"

"Pups," the hanyou's voice corrected him from over her shoulder. Neither Kagome nor Shippo had noticed when Inuyasha's ears had perked at his name and he had leapt behind the group. "What did you think, that we'd send you away?"

Kagome glanced up at him, surprised and grateful, their argument forgotten. "I think that means yes, Shippo." The kitsune snuggled in closer and Kagome found herself making an odd rumbling sound deep in her chest, more like a purr than a growl. Shippo seemed to take comfort in it, eyes drooping sleepily. She felt Inuyasha's arm settle around her waist and she leaned her head against his shoulder. 'Well, _one_ of my families is there.'

Sango discreetly watched the trio for a long moment before catching Miroku's eye. His expression was distant and aloof but his eyes twinkled with mischief. "They look happy, ne?" she sneaked another peak and smiled.

The monk sidled closer, "That they do, dear Sango."

"You think it will last?" she asked, absorbed in the idyllic picture painted by her closest friends, seeming to not notice Miroku slowly closing the distance between them.

Easing his arm around her shoulders, Miroku put on his most pious face. "One can only hope." Sango knew what he was up to. It was just a matter of time before that hand found it's way to her butt. For now, however, she let it be. Maybe she was lonely, maybe she was tired of fighting, maybe she wanted what Kagome and Inuyasha had. Whatever, the physical contact felt good.

Yep, there went that hand sliding down her back. Why did the lech always have to ruin such romantic moments? She stiffened, preparing to wallop him upside the head, but was pleasantly surprised when the arm stopped at her waist. Daring to hope, she smiled shyly up at him. He smiled back, eyes warm with promise.

Inuyasha stopped abruptly, arm tightening reflexively around Kagome, and sniffed the air. Kagome felt his alarm and clutched Shippo tightly to her chest. Then she caught the scent and almost gagged. "Inuyasha, is that…?"

"Human blood. A lot of it."

Sango and Miroku turned in unison and hurried over to them. "We're not too far from Kaede's village. Do you suppose something could have attacked them?" Worry shone in Sango's eyes as she adjusted Hiraikotsu so that it was more accessible. Kagome fished her bow and arrows from her pack, slinging the quiver over her shoulder.

Inuyasha shook his head, silvery bangs falling into his eyes. "Nah, it's coming from the wrong direction. Kagome, do sense the presence of the sacred jewel?"

Kagome froze, her heart plummeting into her stomach. The time was bound to come sooner or later. She had hoped later but she screwed up her courage, "N-no, but-"

Inuyasha cut her off with an impatient wave of his hand, "I guess it can't be helped. We have to check it out." In a flash of red, he took off toward the origin of the scent. Kagome followed a moment later, desperately trying to catch a whiff of a jewel fragment through the fetid odor of spilt blood.

Sango and Miroku vaulted onto a transformed Kirara. Sharing a knowing look, Miroku asked Sango, "Do you think he's realized that she may not be _able_ to sense the jewel?" He swung his staff around her torso, bracing himself with a hand on the staff on either side of her.

Sango shook her head, her mouth set in a grim line. "I doubt it. He's not one to think things through." She sighed, cursing the timing of this attack as Kirara launched into the air. "I wish we'd had time to ask her about it."

The first body they saw was crumpled in the ditch along the side of the road, hardly more than a pile of rags. The second body, what was left of it, was draped over the low fence at the edge of the village. It was missing its head and a leg, and one of the arms dangled at impossible angle. Other bodies littered the village like rag dolls tossed around by a careless child. 'The poor people, they were torn to pieces,' Kagome covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve, trying not to retch. 'This is so much worse than any other battlefield. I wish I couldn't smell it so well.'

A wet slurping sound lifted the airs on the back of her neck, setting her teeth on edge and her heart pounding. "Inuyasha!"

"I heard it. Stay behind me," he pulled Tetsusaiga from it sheath, the sword transforming in his hand from a battered relic to the great Sword of the Fang. "Show yourself, coward!"

A nearby hut creaked, the walls bulging and groaning, then bursting in a shower of splinters, revealing a glistening mass of rust-brown tissue. Small pieces broke off of it and squirmed in the dust, dissolving into murky puddles of goo. It was wrapped around a crumpled form, a proboscis latched firmly onto its victim's headless neck.

'It's sucking out the insides,' Kagome realized with a shudder. 'And it's getting bigger.' With each draw from its victim, it expanded slowly, shedding wormy bits of tissue like skin. A spark of anger flared and began to burn in the pit of her stomach. She flexed her claws, her bow forgotten. "How dare you attack a defenseless village and suck everyone dry!"

"Dammit, stay back!" Inuyasha grabber her arm and yanked her behind him. "Hey! Face me, you disgusting slug!" Tossing aside its meal, the youkai swiveled two antennae-eyes to glare at them. With surprising speed, the demon advanced on them with its funnel-snout extended, leaving a trail of sticky ichor in its wake.

Kagome's eyes narrowed as she caught the clean, pure scent of the sacred jewel. 'So, it _does_ have a shard. I just have to get closer to find it.'

She set down a protesting Shippo, who was reluctant to leave her arms. "Kagome, Inuyasha said-"

"I know what he said, but I'm not human anymore. I can fight for myself." She pried Shippo's fingers from her kimono and circled around to the side of the approaching monstrosity.

Kagome crouched low to the ground, eyeing the creature and trying to control her rising frustration as she searched vainly for the jewel shard she knew was embedded somewhere in its bloated body. 'I have to find it quickly before Inuyasha realizes I've disobeyed him.' She blinked, realizing she was doing this all wrong. 'I knew where it was instinctively, last time. I'll have to let my instincts guide me this time, too.' Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tapped into the energy she had used to mask her scent. Her aura expanded toward the slug youkai and she let it skim lightly over its body until she felt a tug. 'There, in its belly.'

'The fuck she think she's doing?' Inuyasha stared in disbelief as Kagome sprung from behind the approaching youkai and slashed at its midsection with her claws. A tentacle shot from the body of the slug youkai and wrapped around her wrist, slamming her to the ground.

"Kagome!" he raced forward to slice the limb but another tentacle had latched onto his foot, tripping him. He hacked at the impediment, eyes on Kagome's still form.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango's bone boomerang struck the youkai between its antennae with a wet smack, leaving a gouge that oozed yellow puss. Kagome raised herself on her hands, shaking her head to clear her mind. Her hands shot out from under her as the tentacle dragged her toward its sucking mouth. Twisting her body so that she was sliding on her butt, she sliced through the tentacle with her claws until she was free.

"Kagome, get out of the way," Inuyasha raised his sword and slammed it into the ground. "Wind Scar!" Bolts of energy tore rivulets in the ground and engulfed the slug. It exploded in a shower of pitch and mucus.

Inuyasha thrust Tetsusaiga into its hilt and stormed over to where Kagome lay. "Stupid bitch! What's wrong with you?"

"I had to get closer to find the shard! I can't see them anymore!" There, she'd said it, for better or worse.


	13. Kaede's Village

A/N: Sorry, I like romance, angst, happy endings AND cliffhangers…

GnomeInuyasha – all will be revealed…eventually. Hee hee.

Thank you so much for the reviews. It is gratifying to know that you are enjoying reading it as much as I am enjoying writing it.

What the hell is in a twinkie? Do I dare read the ingredients? Speaking of twinkies, the director of Software played a little April Fool's joke on our admin – he set Microsoft Office (and Outlook) to replace the word "the" with "twinkie". She had been living with this until yesterday (Friday)! Funniest goddamn thing…but maybe you had to be there.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other character created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 13 – Kaede's Village

Inuyasha's mouth dropped open, then closed with a snap. He stared at her in disbelief, 'What shard? She said it didn't have a shard…she didn't sense it…she attacked that youkai with her claws for a jewel shard? Stupid, stupid, stupid…'

An iron band around her chest was squeezing the breath from her lungs as the silence drew out. Her hand found its way to the bottle of jewel fragments around her neck, grasping it tightly. "I'm sorry," she whispered finally. "I wanted to tell you before."

"Who cares about the fucking jewel?" he shouted, utterly exasperated.

"You're not mad that I can't see it?" She pushed herself into a sitting position, tucking her legs under her and trying to make herself as small as possible.

"Mad? I'm fucking pissed that you didn't tell me about this! How could you put yourself in danger like that? You could have been killed!"

"But I thought…" she trailed off, twisting her fingers into a knot and refusing to meet his eyes.

He dropped into a squat in front of her, hands on the ground between his feet. "You thought what?"

"I didn't think you'd want me if…" It seemed ridiculous now, in the face of his anger and concern.

"Kagome," he paused, at a loss. After everything they'd been through, how could she not trust him? If he'd wanted the jewel so badly, he could've taken it a million times over, especially since she had broken the rosary. "Do you honestly believe that I care for the jewel more than you?"

The raw hurt in his voice tore at her heart. 'I didn't give him enough credit. I underestimated him like everyone else does.' Ashamed, she hung her head. 'How could I have misunderstood so completely?'

"Inuyasha," Kagome's soft voice broke on the last syllable. 'Don't cry girl, you've cried too much the past few days.' She took a deep breath and clasped her hands together to control their trembling. "Please forgive me." A high, keening whine escaped her throat.

Her sorrow and self-reproach were palpable through the mark, but he suspected it was his own fault she would think like this. After all, his words had implied it time and time again. But hadn't he shown her how much she meant to him? He'd always heard that actions speak louder than words, but apparently the words were important, too. He put his hands on her face, palms on her cheeks, and tilted her head to him. "There's nothing to forgive. Just…trust me, OK?"

She nodded, eyes still downcast, and whined again. He kissed the star on her forehead and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her onto his lap. He had to stop her from whining; the youkai sound of misery was worse than her tears. Purring for her, as she had done for Shippo, he rested his chin on the top of her head. Her human emotions had been such a frustrating mystery; now that she was youkai, he instinctively knew how to soothe and comfort her.

She collapsed against his chest, relief flooding through her. 'He forgives me, he cares for me, he accepts me,' ran through her mind like a mantra. She had been such a self-confident person; it was amazing how much the opinion of one man mattered to her.

When she had calmed down, he pulled her away just enough to see into her eyes. "Is there anything else you haven't told me?" his golden gaze bore into her. She shook her head.

"So it's true, you've lost your miko powers," Miroku's voice came from behind them. "I was afraid of this." The couple jumped; they had forgotten that they had an audience. Inuyasha pulled them to their feet, snarling at the monk and pinning his ears back. Miroku gazed back levelly, "Calm yourself, Inuyasha. I am not threatening her."

Sango stood next to him, her face grave. "It's important that we know. Kagome?"

Remaining within the sheltering circle of Inuyasha's arms, Kagome sighed. "I can't see the jewel but I can smell it and…sense it…when it's close. I can't quite explain…I have to _look_ for it, but not exactly…" her eyes narrowed as she tried to put into words how she had found it. Shaking her head, she continued, "I can't make sacred arrows anymore, but I think I can purify the shards." Her gaze was drawn to the tarry puddle of demon remains. Pulling from Inuyasha and walking toward it, she extended her aura and let it be drawn to the jewel fragment. She fished it from the sticky stuff, then dropped it in her palm. It glowed softly, pure and pink.

Sango let out her breath in a rush. "I need to get back to the demon slayer's village to research this."

Miroku nodded. "I will accompany you. For your protection, of course," he intercepted the suspicious look she gave him.

"Mm hmm. Shippo?" The young kit had left his hiding place and scrambled up to Kagome's shoulder.

"I'm staying with my m- Kagome."

Sango smiled at him, not surprised. "We will meet you at Kaede's village in a couple of days or so. I don't know what state the library is in; it may take us a while to find what we are looking for." With a wave, they remounted the fire cat and flew in the direction of Sango's village.

Inuyasha and Kagome wandered into the village hand in hand with Shippo at their heels. The peaceful twilight was split by a shriek. "_Demon!_" A small crowd of villagers formed, blocking their path and whispering to each other.

"Since when have you cared?" Inuyasha planted his hands on his hips and glowered at them. His brows drew down further when he realized they were pointing to Kagome.

The crowd parted as Kaede came forward, bow in hand with an arrow already strung. She froze when she saw the trio, her bow slowly lowering. "Kagome, what has happened to ye, child?" her expression was only slightly less horrified than that of the villagers.

Across from the seated couple, Kaede sat silently absorbing the story. Shadows flickered across her face, hiding her eyes that perused the changes in the girl who had so resembled her late sister. The crimson star was a stark contrast to her pale skin, pointed ears peeked from beneath lustrous black hair, but it was the mercurial silver eyes that unnerved her the most. Finally, she sighed. "I cannot sense a miko aura about ye, nor human. Ye are the kitsune we mistook ye for when ye first arrived in this village. The jewel must still respond to ye because ye carried it for so long in your body." Kagome touched the fabric of her kimono that covered small scar where Mistress Centipede had torn the jewel from her side. "Ye must continue your quest to recover the fragments, but be careful lest the jewel become tainted."

"Is there any way I can become human again?" Kagome feared the answer but had to ask.

Kaede sighed. "I know not. It seems that your sould has merged with that of the youkai; I could not exorcise the demon without killing ye. Perhaps your demon slayer friend will find the answers."

"And if I appease the fox's soul, would it leave?"

The old miko shrugged, "It is possible, but do ye know what it wanted?"

Kagome searched her memory for some inkling as to what had been driving the youkai, but came up blank. The only thing it had seemed to want was to merge with her. "…no."

Kaede stared into the fire, regretting that she had to be the messenger of such bad news. "I'm sorry my child, but ye can't stay here. I will help as much as I can, but ye must leave."

Kagome could not believe her ears. Was Kaede kicking her out of the village? "But-"

Kaede shook her head, sadness in her eyes. "This is a human village. They accepted ye because ye were the reincarnation of their beloved miko and they accepted Inuyasha and Shippo because _ye_ accepted them. But they will _not_ accept a family of demons in their midst."

"I'm the same person I was three days ago!" disbelief faded to anger.

Inuyasha snorted, "Keh. Humans fear and hate demons. They're no different"

"Inuyasha knows better than most, as he was not accepted by his demon kin either." Kaede regarded him sadly. The poor half-demon was once again homeless. 'No,' she corrected herself. 'They have each other.'

"Ungrateful bastards, who needs 'em," Inuyasha pushed to his feet. "Thanks for nothing, old hag. Come on, Kagome, we're leaving."

"I am truly sorry, but ye would not be safe here. I wish ye happiness."

Kagome stood and picked up Shippo, furious and hurt at the betrayal but trying to understand the position in which she had put the old miko. This couldn't be easy for her, to lose her sister then have to cast out her sister's reincarnation. "I'm sorry, too," she paused, wanting to say more but not finding the right words. She settled for a tight smile and left the hut.

A/N: To forestall any yelling, I want to mention that if you watch the first episode in Japanese with the subtitles on, you will see that the villagers think she is a fox demon in disguise.


	14. Going Home

A/N: Hey, I've hit 100 reviews! That's great!

InuyashaMaster168: The star on her forehead is not the mating mark. The mating mark is on her lower back and is described in Chapter 9. However, the star appeared at the same time because that is when her soul and that of the youkai completely merged. Sorry for the confusion.

Sangome: Regarding the villagers' reaction, I thought about that for awhile. Anti-demon prejudice was pretty strong among humans. In the episode where Kikyo killed the monk who was trying to exorcise her, the little girl who had befriended her became afraid of her. Granted, the girl witnessed her kill the monk, but Kikyo had obviously been acting in self-defense. Jinengi supplied medicinal herbs but the villagers tried to kill him. Anyway, it may have been a long shot but I thought it would be interesting.

WinterAngel1222: Maybe ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other character created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 14 – Going Home

Inuyasha watched Kagome's back as she led the way into Inuyasha's Forest. She had been silent and distant since leaving Kaede's hut. He had tried to take her hand but she had pulled away, shaking her head; she needed space and he let her have it. Even Shippo recognized it and kept pace with the hanyou. 'She's never faced this kind of rejection. She's kind to everyone and they are kind back; it's one of those special things about her. She's never cared that I'm a half-breed.' He glared over his should in the direction of the village and pinned his ears. 'I wish I could have spared her…I didn't think they would react that way.'

Kagome was upset about how the villagers had treated her, but melancholy had replaced anger. She didn't understand how they could be so shortsighted. Wasn't it who you were on the inside that counted? They had known her for two years and had accepted her as a miko. And Kaede…but she was just protecting her village. Hadn't she tried to send Kikyo, her own sister, back to the grave after she had been resurrected as one of the undead? 'Inuyasha's right – who needs them. If they can't get past their prejudice and see _me_ under the claws and fangs, then they can find another…miko. Oh dear.'

"Kagome?" Shippo asked hesitantly.

"Leave her alone, runt."

Kagome stopped walking and turned to the kit. "Yes, Shippo?"

"I was just thinking…you're kitsune now, so you can disguise yourself as a human." His emerald eyes were hopeful. "I can teach you."

Inuyasha snatched the kit by the tail and held him in front of his face, "Why didn't you mention this before? We could've prevented all…that." He waved his hand in the direction of the village.

"Inuyasha, put him down. It's not his fault." She continued when the kit was safely on the ground and rubbing his butt, "I would rather know their true feelings. Even disguised, they would have found out eventually and then it would have been worse." It had been one thing to see how their fellow villagers treated hanyou like Jinengi and Shiori. It was altogether different to feel the treatment firsthand. She fixed him with wide soulful eyes, "I'm so sorry, Inuyasha. I never really knew…it must have been awful for you."

She looked so lonely; he was almost reminded of Kikyo. 'Funny, I haven't thought of her in days…' He pulled Kagome into an embrace, gratified when she returned it. Stroking her hair, he desperately thought of something to raise her spirits. There had to be something…that was it! 'Shippo, you are a genius.' As much as he hated it…

"Kagome, let Shippo teach you shape change. Then you'll be able to go to your school."

She leaned back, still clutching his waist, her face lit by a brilliant smile. "Really? You think it'll work?" her eyes gleamed. 'Maybe I can still have a normal life! Normal for me, anyway.'

"Of course it will!" Shippo piped up, his chest swelling with pride, pleased that he could play such a big, important role. "Kitsunes are known for their illusions!"

"But my test is less than three days away! How can I learn to shape change and study for my math test at the same time?"

"Feh. Shape changing's easy, especially with a teacher like me!" Shippo crossed his arms and tried to look smug.

"Yeah, well just make sure she doesn't have a tail." The memory of Shippo assuming Kagome's form while he had been trapped in the hut rose in his mind. The illusion had been very realistic, except for the fluffy tail attached to her backside. He hadn't appreciated it at the time, but…then again, it was kinda cute…

Shippo humphed at him and pouted.

Kagome giggled and hugged him again. "Thank you, Inuyasha. I know you don't like me studying."

"Keh," he blushed. 'Anything for you.'

Her giggling quieted down and she became serious again. "I have to go home tonight."

"Don't you want to learn to shape change first?"

"No, my family deserves to know, especially if we can't change me back."

He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent and tightening his arms. "We can go back tonight, if you like." At a light tug on his hakama, he looked down through strands of her hair.

"What about me?" Shippo's eyes were suspiciously watery and his tail quivered.

Kagome broke the embrace to scoop the kit into her arms, ignoring Inuyasha's sound of protest. "I wish I could take you with us, but we'll only be gone a short time. We'll bring you back some candy." She smiled at him encouragingly.

"Promise you'll come back?"

"Of course we will. Shippo, what are you so worried about?"

"You called that other place home and…I don't want to be alone again," he snuffled.

"Oh, Shippo, you're like my son, I would never abandon you. And we'll be back soon; you promised to teach me to shape change, right?" Cuddling him to her chest, she crooned to him.

"I will look after him, Lord Inuyasha," a wizened voice spoke from the hanyou's shoulder.

"Well, if it isn't Myoga the flea," he reached up to flick the flea from his shoulder before the flea could bite him.

"Wait, my lord!" the tiny demon waved his arms frantically. "I was told to give you a message from your friends, the demon slayer and the monk."

"Yeah? Speak up."

The old flea composed himself. "First, I must extend my congratulations to you, my lord and lady, on your mating." He bowed formally and would have looked quite stately if he weren't an inch tall. "Lady Kagome, you must be proud to join the noblest of bloodlines."

Kagome blushed prettily, "Uhh, thanks…"

Myoga eyed her critically, tapping a finger against his chin. "Your kitsune youkai becomes you, though that star looks familiar…Anyway, I met your friends at the exterminator's village while I was doing some research. They bid me tell you not to expect them for at least a week. The library is in ruins and it will take them some time to sort through what is left. Why are you looking at me like that?"

Three pairs of eyes had riveted on him. Inuyasha pinched him by the back of shirt with his claws and held him at eye level. "What do you know about that star?"

"N-nothing, my lord! I just said it looked familiar!" Myoga flailed his arms wildly.

"Can you find out more about it?" Kagome exclaimed, almost breathless with excitement.

Realizing he was not in trouble (yet), Myoga settled down. "It would be an honor, my lady. Now, if you would just put me down, my lord…" Inuyasha dropped the flea into his palm. "There is a kitsune tribe north of here. I will start with them. Do you have any other distinguishing marks? Besides the mating mark, of course." At Kagome's shake of the head, Myoga pursed his lips. "Then the star will have to do."

"But you won't leave until Kagome's back!" Shippo interjected, concerned again.

Myoga glanced to Inuyasha for confirmation, then sketched a short bow to the kit. "It is only appropriate that I watch the adopted son of my lord. So," he clapped his hands together and rubbed them briskly, "back to the village?" The flea youkai was looking forward to a dinner of fresh, young maiden. He froze as a growl rose in Inuyasha's throat. Kagome looked away and hugged Shippo tighter. "My lord?"

Inuyasha suppressed the urge to fling the flea into the trees. "We're not going back there. Wait for us at Goshinbuko."

"Aaah," the old demon could only guess what had happened, but he had a knack for self-preservation that had always served him well. In this case, it told him not to pry and he chose to listen to it.

Kagome sat nervously at the edge of the well staring at the doors of the shrine. Inuyasha paced behind her, his arms crossed, waiting for her to move. Her anxiety had set him on edge and he was fighting with the urge to snatch her up and take her back through the well. She had _said_ that her family would accept her change but she sure didn't act like it. He liked her family but he hardly trusted them.

"If they say one fucking word, I'll-"

"No you won't, they're my family," but she stayed where she was. 'Maybe I should have learned to shape change, after all. I could have broken it to them slowly…but they'll be fine with it. They _are_ my family,' she absently picked at the fraying edge of her kimono.

"Uuh, Inuyasha? I don't think we should we tell them about the mating-thing now."

He stopped pacing mid-stride. "Why the hell not? You don't want them to know?" She wasn't embarrassed by him, was she? Would her mother not want her mated with a half-breed?

"No! It's just that…this," she gestured to herself, "…will be a big adjustment and, well, I'm still very young by my time's standards and…" she heaved a big sigh, not realizing that she was babbling, "maybe we should take one thing at a time…"

When he didn't answer, she twisted her body so that she could see him. He was glowering at the doors, eyebrows drawn together over fiercely glowing eyes. Kagome flared her nostrils, trying to smell what had made him so mad. "What is it?" she whispered.

"I won't let them take you away from me," he ground out through his teeth.

The shrine doors slid open with a bang and Sota walked in, stopping when he saw the two figures by the well. "Kagome, Inuyasha, you're back! Hey Grandpa," he called over his shoulder, "they're here!" He flicked on the flashlight he was holding and shone it down on them. "Jeez, Kagome, what are you wearing?" He squinted down at her. "Have you changed your hair?"


	15. Motherly Advice

A/N: Thank you all for your reviews!

fluffyrachel: I am working on the chapter lengths :)

NeverTooOld: Thanks! I will finish this eventually, then try my hand at character creation. I love writing this stuff - such a nice change from programming. I haven't done any creative writing in years, so all of the positive feedback is encouraging.

Sangome: I didn't think that her grandfather would react like the villagers. He is more of a comic relief character.

AnimeMaster168: It's a mark similar to what Sesshomarou has. I wanted her kitsune youkai to be traceable.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other character created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 15 – Motherly Advice

Kagome shielded her eyes from the sudden light and pushed herself off the edge of the well. She hadn't noticed how dark it had been; she had been able to see just fine. "Something like that…" she answered her brother. Her grandfather's heavy footsteps thudded outside the shrine, followed by his reedy voice.

"Kagome? One of your friends from school stopped by with some notes. He said you had a math test soon."

Inuyasha's low growl stepped up a notch. "He?"

"You heard him, just a friend," she hissed at him. Mounting the stairs, Kagome winced inwardly. 'That must have been Hojo. He's as persistent as Koga, but not nearly as resilient.'

Inuyasha leapt over the well and onto the stairs, grabbing her elbow. "Which friend?"

"No one!" she yanked her arm out of his and stomped up the stairs. How could he go from wonderful to possessive jerk so quickly?

"Oi!"

Sota rolled his eyes and switched off the flashlight, strolling back to the house and the cheerful rectangle of light shining from the open door. They hadn't been back five minutes and they were already fighting. And it had been such a peaceful evening. His grandfather's voice, shrill with alarm, stopped him in his tracks.

"Kagome, there is a demon aura around you!"

"Grandpa, not the -" Sota turned in time to see his sister get doused with sacramental rice wine. "-rice wine," Kagome finished soggily. She pulled a limp ofuda from her hair.

Inuyasha made a rude noise and smirked at him. "I told you those things don't work, old man."

"You watch your tongue. No respect for the elderly these days…" the group followed Sota into the house, followed by Grandpa's grumbling.

Kagome made a beeline for the kitchen sink and began wringing out her hair. The stolen kimono had really had it too; now it was unraveling and soaked, clinging to her skin with a sticky coldness that made her skin crawl. '_And_ I've been walking around with no shoes. I'll have to spend some serious time with a pumice stone to get rid of these calluses. I really, really want a bath.'

Inuyasha lounged against the counter, trying to keep his eyes in his head. That kimono would be the death of him. In self-preservation, he tried to concentrate on Sota's description of his latest video game, but it sounded the same as the other ones he'd played and his eyes kept straying to the curve of Kagome's butt outlined by the dripping kimono. It was almost within reach. If he took one step to the right he could-

"Inuyasha, are you listening?" Inuyasha's gaze snapped back to Sota's earnest young face. "This guy, he has a sword like yours and he-" Was this what Miroku went through day after day? 'Poor monk, I guess I could be easier on him when he grabs women's butts, as long as he doesn't grab _that_ butt.'

Kagome's mother entered the kitchen as Kagome was considering the logistics of painting her clawed toes. "Oh, Kagome! Did you have some trouble in the Warring States Era? Do you want me to prepare a bath for you?"

She glanced at her mother gratefully, shaking her hair over the sink. "That would be great, mom."

Her mother gasped and ran over to her, catching her face in both hands and glaring at Inuyasha suspiciously. "What has happened to my daughter?"

"Mom, it's not his fault." Kagome covered her mother's hands with her own.

Grandpa stomped into the kitchen brandishing a mummified claw, "This will cast out the demon aura!" He almost tripped when he saw Kagome under the harsh florescent lights of the kitchen. "Kagome, _you_ are the demon! But- but-"

"Wow, cool! I _knew_ there was something different about you! Can I see your claws?" Sota jumped up and down beside them, trying to get a better look at her hands. "Do you have fangs like Inuyasha?"

"Sota, settle down. Kagome, why don't you get cleaned up and Inuyasha can tell us about it." Kagome nodded gratefully and headed for the stairs.

Inuyasha found himself encircled by Kagome's family. Their stares were questioning but not unfriendly, but he was still distinctly uncomfortable. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his ears twitching. He had never heard the term "hot seat" but would have found it appropriate.

"Well?" Kagome's mother crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well what?" he was starting to sweat. How could one small human female be so intimidating?

"Why is my daughter a demon? I thought you were supposed to be protecting her."

He jumped at a sudden roar from above. A floral scent, mingled with Kagome's musk, reached his nose. 'Relax, it's just Kagome's bath.' He tucked his arms into his sleeves, "I _am_ protecting her. She was alone when it happened."

"Why was she alone?"

He flushed at an unbidden mental image of Kagome at the hot spring, "She was bathing!"

Her mother gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, "She was attacked while bathing?"

"No, she…triggered some kitsune…soul vessel thing," he wished he had paid more attention when the others had been discussing it. "The kitsune's soul merged with hers and…" he gestured to where Kagome had left.

"Is it reversible?" He shrugged. "I see. But you'll try?"

Inuyasha blinked at her. "Yeah…" but he wasn't sure if he wanted to. The more he thought of it, the better her transformation seemed to be. Aside from the mark, as youkai, Kagome's life span would match his. They could use the completed jewel to make him human, but he really didn't like being human. Once a month was bad enough. The alternative, him living the long life of a youkai while Kagome aged and died, was unthinkable. Maybe when Kagome got used to the change she wouldn't want to change back.

Kagome's mother gave him a piercing stare, then nodded. He couldn't help wonder if she could read his mind. "Grandpa, Sota? Would you excuse us a minute?" The two men started to protest but were quickly silenced by a stern look. Inuyasha winced inwardly and had a feeling that he was not off the hook yet.

When they were alone, Kagome's mother regarded him quietly for a moment then sighed. "What are your intentions toward my daughter?"

He didn't understand exactly what that meant but he had a good idea. He couldn't stop the blush that crept up his neck and suffused his face. Kagome didn't want to bring up the mating and they hadn't finished it yet, anyway…

She sighed again, reading the hanyou's features like a book. She had seen the looks he'd been giving her earlier and her mother's intuition told her the relationship between the two had changed. They would tell her when they were ready. Her little girl was growing up - she couldn't deny it. "Just understand that Kagome is still young and in school." His blush deepened, confirming her suspicions. "I trust you to keep her best interests in mind." She patted him on the shoulder and walked out of the kitchen. She really wasn't that surprised and Kagome could've done a lot worse.

Inuyasha watched her go, confused but relieved.

Kagome sighed loudly and slammed her book shut. The furor over her transformation had died down, dinner was eaten, and she had finally found a few minutes to review for her math test. Except that _somebody_ wouldn't let her. "Inuyasha, will you _stop_ that?" She turned in her desk chair and glared at the hanyou who was lying on her bed, throwing a small rubber ball against the ceiling and catching it. _Thunk_.

"What?" _Thunk_. His innocent golden eyes stared back.

"You said you'd let me study. I can't concentrate with you doing that!" she waved vaguely at the rubber ball.

_Thunk_. "Doing what?"

She made an exasperated sound in the back of her throat and stalked over to the bed, snatching the ball out of mid air. Inuyasha caught her outstretched arm and pulled her down, then rolled and pinned her beneath him.

"Inu_yasha_!" she gasped, her heart suddenly pounding.

"Hmmm?"

"My family is downstairs," she pressed her palms against his chest, trying not to be distracted by the hard muscle she felt under his haori.

"So?" He trapped her legs with his and settled his weight more firmly on her. He thought he had smelled something different about her when she had gotten out of the bath and he wanted to test the theory.

"So, get off me. Besides, Shippo and Myoga are waiting for us." She tried to wriggle out from under him, but he shifted his weight to prevent it. A part of her didn't _want_ him to move, and that part was getting a little more insistent.

"They can wait until morning." The thin camisole that was part of her pajama set had ridden up during her wriggling and he slid his hands up her sides, tickling bare skin and nuzzling her neck.

Her skin jumped and tingled where his claws grazed her and a throbbing heat was collecting deep inside her. "…have to study for…my math test…" she mumbled, her eyelids drooping. His proximity was intoxicating; she was rapidly losing coherent thought.

Inuyasha blinked; that wasn't exactly what he'd had in mind. And she said _he _was dense. "Math can wait, too." He captured her lips in a languid kiss, stilling any further protest. A spike in her scent that almost lacked the spice of heat told him what he wanted to know. 'A short heat...maybe tomorrow…' He ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, deepening the kiss when she parted them. Of its own volition, one hand worked its way under her back, finding his mark.

Each brush of his fingers over the silvery brand on her back sent sparks dancing though her. A strange energy was building in the pit of her stomach, goaded by his caresses. It burned and pulsed in time with her heart, coalescing into white-hot ball of fire straining for release.

Kagome's bedroom door swung open and Sota's head poked in. "Kagome, Mom wants to know if you guys…"

Kagome's eyes flew open and, with mighty heave, shoved Inuyasha off of her. Startled and off-balance, Inuyasha rolled off the bed, landing heavily on his back and cracking his head against the floor.

"…want some ice cream," Sota stared at them, eyes wide as saucers, with his mouth hanging open. "I guess not," he backed out of the room and closed the door quietly after him.

Kagome stared at the door and took a shaky breath, her face bright red. The energy had dissipated, leaving her head buzzing and her entire body crawling with goose flesh. Inuyasha sat up, rubbing the back of his head, "Runt, I'm gonna-"

Kagome reached over and tweaked one of his hanyou ears. "Leave him alone. Just hope that he doesn't tell Mom." She straightened her jammies and slid off the bed, planting her fists on her hips and glaring down at him. "Now, I'm going to study and you are going to let me." Trying to ignore her shaky legs and the burning ache in her abdomen, she sat back down at her desk and opened her math book. 'Oh kami, what were we just doing? If Sota hadn't walked in…' she flushed again, and pressed her fingers against her lips, still tingling with the memory of his hard body molded against hers. She knew he was in great shape but she hadn't _known._

Inuyasha smirked at her back. She couldn't fool him; he could smell her arousal. She had almost marked him - would have if her brother hadn't walked in. As frustrated as he was, he supposed he was grateful that they were interrupted when they were. If she had marked him, they would have finished mating and as much as he wanted to, neither of them were ready for the consequences.

'Hmm, what to make for a snack…' Kagome fished through the fridge, pushing aside cans of soda. Nothing really looked good, but she had the munchies and she was having difficulty concentrating on the math problems. Who really cared what the volume of a curve was, anyway? It's not like she'd ever use this stuff. A Styrofoam box caught her attention and she reached for it. Soft footsteps and White Shoulders perfume announced the arrival of her mother in the kitchen. "Kagome, I can see we are a bit overdue for a talk."

Kagome's heart just about hit the back of her throat, but she managed to squeak out, "About what, Mom?" as nonchalantly as she could and dropped the box back on the shelf, her appetite gone.

Her mother pursed her lips. "I think you know what."

'Sota, you snitch, I am going to _kill_ you.' She shut fridge and faced her mother.

"Have a seat, dear," she sat at the table and gestured for her daughter to do the same. When Kagome had settled herself, her mother leaned on the table, taking her hand and looking deep into her eyes. 'Those silver eyes will take some getting used to but the soul behind them is still belongs to my girl.' She squeezed her hands and gave her a small smile. "You and Inuyasha have gotten closer."

Kagome nodded, wondering exactly where she was going with this. Was she in trouble?

"I know you two care for each other and will want to express it," she squeezed her hands for emphasis.

Kagome tried not to blush. 'Please don't let this be the sex talk, please, please, please…'

"I just want you to remember to take precautions. You're still very young and don't need that kind of responsibility."

'At least she isn't saying it outright,' Kagome thought. Where was a pit to hell when you needed one? 'And I bet Inuyasha can hear every word of this from the bedroom.'

"So if you need me to get you anything, let me know. I don't know what methods of birth control are available in the past, but I'm sure what we have here is much better."

'She said it,' maybe her shoulders would swallow her head. "Thanks, Mom." Her mother squeezed her hands once more and rose from the table.

"You're a smart girl, Kagome, and I know you'll make the right decisions." With that, her mother left the kitchen. Kagome stared thoughtfully after her. When all was said and done, she had a cool mom.


	16. The Tetsusaiga Test

A/N: Sorry the updates are less frequent. We move next weekend. AAAH!

I just recently discovered www(dot)ear-tweak(dot)com. It has up-to-date manga transaltions.

Sangome: I will definitely finish this but I don't know how many more chapters.

Shinkei: I try to update a couple of times a week but it depends on how many other things I have going on :)

Cruthches the magic hippie: so rich and thick, no need for a stick?

Owari Nai Yumes: lemony part is coming soon but I'm still not clear what is allowed by fanfiction. I've read some very graphic stuff here but I've also heard of stories being pulled for content.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other character created by Rumiko Takahashi

Chapter 16 – The Tetsusaiga Test

"Maybe you're trying too hard," Shippo tried not to snicker at Kagome's scrunched, strained expression. Her eyes sprang open and she let her breath out in a rush.

"Too hard?"

"Yeah, try relaxing into it." He shifted into a giant pink balloon with googley eyes, floated for a few moments, then popped back into his former shape.

"You make it look so easy!" Kagome groaned and flopped onto her back in the grass. They had been at this all morning and she had yet to change any part of her shape. She could feel her youkai power, tap into it, but couldn't quite get it to do what she wanted.

Shippo plucked a blade of grass and stuck it in mouth, eyeing her speculatively. "Are you sure you're kitsune?"

"Can hanyou kitsune change their shapes?" Inuyasha called down from the bough of Goshinboku on which he sat.

Shippo blinked up at him, "She's hanyou?"

Inuyasha dropped from his perch in a blur of red and landed gracefully by the two fox demons. "I don't know. But it may be why she's having so much trouble shape-shifting."

"Well, it depends on the kitsune, I guess. None of my family were hanyou," he sniffed and stuck his nose in the air. "We didn't hang out with riffraff. Ow!" he rubbed the rising lump on his head left by Inuyasha's fist and climbed onto Kagome's tummy.

Kagome rolled her eyes, "You don't have to hit him, you know."

"Yeah I do – show him who's boss." Satisfied that the kit had learned his lesson, the hanyou dropped into a squat with his hand on the ground between his feet.

"Some father figure you are."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nevermind," Kagome was not in the mood to explain the modern theories of child rearing to the impatient hanyou.

He was about to press the issue, then thought better of it. A phrase her mother had used was bothering him. He understood what the words meant separately, but together, they didn't make much sense. "Uh, Kagome?" He peered down at her, cocking his head.

"Yes?" he was absolutely adorable when he did that, with his innocent golden eyes and puppy-dog ears. She reached out and tweaked one of the little white triangles, delighted by how it twitched under her fingers.

"What is 'birth control'?"

Her hand froze mid-rub and crept back to her body, "Uuuh…" She really couldn't avoid the issue, especially considering how hot and heavy they'd been getting. On their way back to the well, her mother had pressed a package of condoms into her hand with a conspiratorial wink. Kagome had stammered her thanks and shoved the box to the bottom of her bag, hoping that no one else noticed. "It's used to prevent unwanted pregnancies," she spit out in a rush, opting for textbook terminology.

Shippo snorted, "Youkai don't need stuff like that. We can smell when our mates are in heat."

Inuyasha glared down at him, "Aren't you a little young for that?"

"I've got a nose, and I know that Kagome is-"

Kagome sat straight up, spilling the kit from his seat on her belly and pressing her hands to her burning cheeks, "Can we talk about something else, please?"

The two males stared at her blankly. She sighed and rubbed her face with her hands. "Like, how do we know if I'm hanyou or not?"

Inuyasha blinked at her, "Touch my sword."

"What!" he had to be crazy, saying a thing like that in front of a child. What was he thinking?

"The Tetsusaiga – touch it. If you're hanyou, you should be able to touch it without triggering the anti-youkai spell," his eyes narrowed at her furious blush. "What did you think I meant?"

"…uuh, nothing," she had to get her mind out of the gutter; it was making way too many comparisons without her consent. She was reminded of an old American cartoon about two high-school losers, "Long…hehe…hard…hehe." Her blush increased as a slow grin spread across his face. She ducked her head and held out her hand, bracing herself for a possible shock. "OK, let's try it."

When the expected weight did not fill her hand, she glanced up at him through her bangs. He held the sheathed Tetsusaiga hovering over her hand, his face serious. "What are you waiting for?"

He frowned, his eyebrows knitting, "I don't want to hurt you."

"You think it will hurt that much? Is there any other way to tell?" She pursed her lips when he didn't answer. "Well, here goes nothing," and before he could snatch it back, she wrapped her fingers around the hilt. She waited a breathless second, then let go. "So, this means I'm hanyou?"

Inuyasha nodded, his face pale. Shippo sniffed at her, "You don't really smell hanyou. You could pass for youkai."

"Thanks, Shippo," she ruffled his fluffy red ponytail; he meant it as a compliment. "But how am I going to take my math test if I can't pass for human?"

Kagome pushed the mirrored sunglasses up her nose and grimaced at her reflection. The big lenses covered her eyes but combined with the scarf framing her face, looked absolutely ridiculous with her school uniform. The claw she had cut on her left index finger was still blunt but had grown noticeably longer. The scarf started to slip backwards in her silky hair, showing the bottom point of the crest on her forehead. Frustrated, she tugged it back into place. 'This isn't going to work.'

She slumped back to her desk, pulling off the shades and scarf, and slouched into her chair. Propping her chin in her hand, she stared forlornly out her window at the setting sun. 'I've barely gotten a thing done all day! Not only have I not studied for my math test, I can't even disguise myself as human. What am I going to do?' She opened her math book with a resigned sigh. 'At least I'll have a few moments to concentrate since Inuyasha stayed with Shippo and Myoga.'

She'd cajoled, pleaded, threatened, until he'd finally broken down and agreed to give her a couple of hours in her time to study. "But if you're not back by moonrise, I'm fucking coming to get you," he'd all but shouted in her face. She'd promised and hopped down the well before he could change his mind, secretly pleased that he was so reluctant to be parted from her.

To be completely honest, she really didn't like the 500 years that separated her from her …mate. She smiled softly, her eyes distant. A breath whispered through her window, billowing the curtains and fluttering the pages of her math book. She turned back to the book with a low, unconscious purr.

She was in the middle of a particularly nasty integral when a realization hit her. 'I've been going about this shape-changing thing all wrong!' She dropped her pencil on her desk and pushed her chair back. 'I've been trying to shape-shift into something I'm not! But I'm hanyou, so I just need to shift into what part of me is!' Walking back to the full-length mirror on her closet door, she stood in front of it and closed her eyes, picturing herself as she was just a few days ago. With a deep breath, she reached out to the demon-energy within her and…pop. She opened her eyes and grinned at her human reflection. Slowly spinning in front of the mirror, she admired the fruits of her efforts.

Her ears perked to the doorbell ringing. Cocking her head, she listened to her Grandfather greet the visitor, "Kagome? No, she's in bed with a sinus infection." Yuka's voice floated up to her, "Well, could you tell her-" Kagome didn't wait to hear the rest. Yanking open her bedroom door, she flew down the stairs to the front door, barely remembering to slow down before her girlfriend saw her.

"Hi, guys!" she chirped with a wave. "Thanks, Grandpa, I've got it."

"But Kagome, you-" her grandfather waved his hands at her frantically, not yet registering her human features.

"I said I'm _fine_," giving him speaking glare and, with her back to her friends, pointing to her unblemished forehead. Her grandfather's mouth became a perfect 'O', his eyes wide.

Emi grinned at her, "Kagome! You don't sound stuffy at all!"

"Yeah, well, I'm feeling much better," Kagome coughed into her hand for effect.

"Hi, Kagome! Glad to see you're feeling better. It's too bad you have to take this summer class. Did you get my old notes for the test?" Hojo spoke up from the back of the group.

"Hojo!" Kagome was suddenly very grateful for the distance between her and Inuyasha. "Yeah, I got them, thanks so much." She felt guilty just talking to him, which was silly; it wasn't like she was interested in him or anything.

"I was thinking that if you are still feeling OK after the test tomorrow, we could catch lunch and a movie. What do you say?"

"Gee, Hojo, that's very kind of you, but-" Kagome's mind ground to a halt. "Tomorrow?" she squeaked. "Isn't the test the day _after_ tomorrow?"

Hojo gave her a worried frown and shook his head. "Today is Thursday and they always have the test on Fridays. Are you sure you're OK?"

"Uh, yeah," she mumbled distractedly. All of her blood seemed to have pooled in her feet and she could barely understand what her friends were saying.

"So then, how about that date?"

"She says yes!" Yuka and Emi spoke up for her, crowding her into the house and closing the door in the boy's face.

"But-"

Her friends fixed her with intense stares, "You need to drop that two-timing jerk once and for all. Didn't you say he was growing distant?"

"Yeah, but we made up and now-" Her youkai was protesting the disparaging words of her friends against her mate even as her human mind was counting down the hours until her math test. She tried to ignore the roiling of her demon blood, knowing that they were only looking out for her. However, the anger in the pit of her stomach was not listening to reason.

"Kagome, he's no good for you. Hojo is a nice boy and will treat you well," Yuka gestured to the closed door. She tapped Kagome's chest with her finger, "You are going on that date. It will be a great way for you to celebrate the end of the class."

She clenched her hands into fists, not trusting herself to speak and becoming slightly alarmed at the tingling in her limbs. The angrier she got, the more her hold on the kitsune glamour seemed to slip. Mistaking her silence for agreement, her busybody friends nodded, satisfied, and opened the front door. "She'll see you tomorrow at noon," Yuka stated and waltzed down the stairs with Emi trailing behind her.

Hojo grinned and waved, "That's great! See ya then, Kagome!" and followed after the girls.

Kagome gave their backs a baleful glare and slammed the door shut. Why did she let her friends get her into these things? There was no way on earth she was going to make that date. She felt the spell break, leaving her head buzzing as if it were filled with a swarm of bees. Pinching the bridge of her nose to relieve her newly acquired headache, she climbed the stairs to her bedroom, her head echoing, 'Fourteen hours.'

"She promised she'd be back by now," the irate hanyou grouched, leaning over the side of the well and staring down into the dark depths.

Shippo sighed, weary of the conversation but drawn into it nonetheless. Really, how many times would they have to go through this? "Then why don't you go get her?"

"I shouldn't have to get her. She should fucking be here when she's supposed to be!"

"Just go already," the kit knocked his head against the side of the well. He didn't really want to be left alone with Myoga, but it beat listening to Inuyasha's griping. And the sooner he left, the sooner Kagome would be back.

With a snort, the hanyou leapt over the edge of the well and dropped through the time portal. He hardly noticed as the pink light engulfed him and deposited him safely 500 years into the future. As soon as he felt his feet touched ground, he bounded out of the well and the shrine in which it stood. Sniffing the night air, he quickly located her; she was in her bedroom. Landing quietly on the windowsill, he peered into the softly lit room. Kagome sat at her desk, her head pillowed on her arms and her eyes closed.

'She's sleeping,' he slid off the sill and tiptoed to her, careful not to wake her. He admired the way the warm light made her skin glow and her hair shimmer. 'So beautiful,' he smoothed a stray strand of hair from her face. Slowly, gently, he eased an arm under her legs and behind her back, shifting her weight from the chair to his arms. He carried her limp form to her bed, laying her on her side and climbing behind her. Curling his body around her, he buried his face in her hair and inhaled her wonderful musky scent. 'I was planning to bring her back, but…we can stay here tonight.'

A/N: Yes, Kagome's third friend is absent. I don't remember her name and I'm too lazy to look it up. Sorry.


	17. Endings and Beginnings

A/N: This story is now posted on mediaminer(dot)org, including the ending of this chapter. Same user id, same story title. No, this is not the final chapter.

WARNING: Sexually explicit content.

Sable - Rhiannon is my middle name. According to some, Rhiannon is the Celtic goddess of wisdom, integrity, horses, the moon, blah blah. So, I slapped them together and called it a login.

Silo 101, Pay Backs a Bitch, Inulover4ever, Sangome, TaintedInuShemeeko, starlit333 - thank you for the name! I thought it was something like that but I could only remember Ayame.

Sangome - She's done changing at the moment. As for Naraku, you will have to wait and see. Tee hee.

Chapter 17 – Endings and Beginnings

"Time!"

Kagome groaned and dropped her pencil on the desk. 'That was a complete bust. Remind me, why did I even try?' She passed her test booklet forward and pushed back her chair. A flicker of red in the corner of her eye caught her attention; Inuyasha was lounging in one of the tall trees outside her classroom window, baseball cap covering his ears. 'Always watching over me,' her lip quirked, remembering this morning's fiasco.

She had woken up to her alarm, disoriented and wrapped in Inuyasha's arms. 'Oh no! It's morning and I hardly studied last night!' Sitting straight up and dislodging the protesting hanyou, she had slapped the off button of the clock. "Why didn't you wake me up?" she shoved his shoulder and glared daggers at him.

He had blinked sleepily at her, "You looked tired."

She'd made a frustrated sound in the back of her throat and stomped over to her closet, pulling out a fresh uniform. She had been about to pull off her pajamas when she caught his reflection in her closet mirror. He was still stretched out on her bed, watching her with his head propped in his hand. "Excuse me," she'd huffed and looked pointedly at the door.

"What?" he leered at her.

"I need to get dressed!"

"I'm not stopping you," he'd leaned back into her pillow and crossed his arms over chest. He shrugged at t her glare, "You're my mate, I can watch you change."

Kagome had snatched up a sandal and launched it at his head, satisfied by the resulting slap and yipe from her bed. Gathering up her clothes, she'd stormed out of the room and to the bathroom to change. 'He's got some nerve.' Her shift to human form had been uneventful and she had been out of the house within minutes.

'Well, watching me, in any case.' She stretched and joined the crowd of students leaving the classroom. Even if she had failed her math test, her attempt to conceal her youkai was wildly successful. No one seemed to notice anything strange about her. Her heart light, she skipped down the steps and scanned the trees for Inuyasha.

"Kagome!" She stopped dead in her tracks; she had completely forgotten about her date with Hojo. Turning slowly, her mind raced to come up with an excuse to get rid of him quickly.

"Hojo, you know-" she twisted her fingers together nervously.

"How was your test? Are you ready to go?" his pleasant smile lit up his face and he took one of her hands in his.

She tugged at her hand, "About that, you see-"

"Get your fucking hands off my mate," Inuyasha growled from behind her.

Hojo frowned at him, polite but disapproving. "Your mate? What does he mean, Kagome?"

Kagome tried to position herself between the two males, "That's what I've been trying to tell you-"

"She's my mate, is what I mean, you pathetic excuse for a mortal," Inuyasha cracked his knuckles, murder in his eyes. He had beaten Koga, fair and square. This pitiful human boy would go down easily.

"Inuyasha!" she placed a straining hand on his shoulder, wishing desperately for the subduing spell.

"I think we should let Kagome speak for herself," Hojo crossed his arms over his chest, standing his ground against the strangely dressed man with silver hair.

Inuyasha shrugged off her hand and grabbed the back of her uniform, dragging her behind him. "Are you challenging me?"

"If you think you can treat Kagome like property, then yes, I am."

The guy had guts, she'd give him that. "Hojo, it's fine, he's-" she tried to call over the hanyou's shoulder but was cut off when Inuyasha shoved her backwards with a clawed hand. His other hand balled into a fist and connected with the human's jaw with a resounding crack. Hojo sprawled on the pavement, clutching his aching face. Blood was already beginning to flow from his nose.

"Get the fuck up, coward, and fight me!" Inuyasha roared at the cringing boy.

Kagome snapped into action, springing forward and onto his back, knocking him to the ground. "Inuyasha, that's enough! You know he isn't a match for you."

"Bitch, get off me!" Inuyasha shook her off and rolled into a crouch. Why was she protecting this mortal? Didn't she understand that no other male was allowed to touch her?

Hojo picked himself up and held a hand out to her but kept his eyes on his aggressor. "Hurry Kagome, we'll call the police and they'll deal with this maniac." A small crowd was beginning to form around them and a concerned citizen was already using her cell phone to contact the police.

Snarling, Inuyasha lunged at him. Kagome grabbed Hojo's outstretched hand and pulled him forward out of Inuyasha path. Losing his balance, the human boy clumsily fell on top of her. He gasped and scrambled away, his eyes bulging from their sockets. "Kagome, you're different…"

Inuyasha paused his attack at his strange change of behavior and looked over at Kagome curiously. What did he mean, different? She looked the same to him…

A buzzing in her limbs told her what had alarmed Hojo; she had lost her human disguise. Her eyes pleaded with him to understand, but he scooted further away. "Hojo, I'm so sorry." The boy simply shook his head and hunched further into himself, the whites of his eyes showing around his entire iris. Kagome's heart strained in her chest; now her human friends were rejecting her? How much could she lose in one week? "Inuyasha, we have to go," she grabbed his arm and tried to pull him away from the cowering boy.

Inuyasha bared his fangs at him, then let Kagome lead him away from the school. He was beginning to realize what could have frightened the boy. Pushing through the mob that had surrounded them, Kagome broke into a run. She reached the base of a short building and leapt to the top with the hanyou in tow.

"Kagome, did you learn-?"

"Baka! See what you did?" Kagome shouted at him and pointed to the crowd milling below them. Sirens pierced the air, followed by flashing lights. "I'll never be able to show my face here again!" Her silver eyes blazing with fury, she bounded from rooftop to rooftop.

"He was touching you!" he shouted back, following her. With a frustrated snort, he vaulted over her head and landed in her path.

She skidded to a stop and glowered at him, "He touched my _hand_ and I was trying to get rid of him! He was one of my _friends_!"

"He was trying to take you away!"

"I was canceling the date!"

"He-"

"No! I don't want to hear any more! Did you see how he looked at me?" her eyes filled with tears and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. "Leave me alone!" she slapped his hands away as he reached for her. Pressing a hand to her mouth, she tried to muffle the sobs that welled out of her chest.

Ignoring her attempts to pull away, he gathered her to him and held her tight. Guilt nagged at the back of his mind; he probably shouldn't have started that scene. But he was touching her, damn it! A growl tried to work it's way free of his chest. "Please don't cry, Kagome." He kissed her lightly all over the face, trying to sooth her.

"But I don't belong anywhere," she wailed, flinging her head back and fisting her hands in his haori. Tears streamed out of her eyes and into her black hair.

He caught the back of her head and pressed it to his chest. "You belong with me." He understood her anguish. He had been very young but he still remembered the pain and confusion when he had been cast out of his mother's village After his mother had died, he'd been beaten by the people with whom he'd been raised, then tossed unceremoniously out the gates of the village. He had sat outside the gates for hours, crying and calling for his mother, grandfather, anyone who would listen. Finally giving up, he had wandered into the forest alone.

He held her until she crying subsided, then picked her up with his arms under her knees and back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kept her face buried in his shoulder, clinging to him as if he were her only connection to reality.

"Take me home," she murmured into his shoulder. Somehow, he didn't think she meant her house.

Shippo regarded Kagome's glum face in the firelight; flames reflected in her silver eyes, turning them into banked coals. She'd been sad since they got back, not saying much but handing him his candy with a wavering smile. He'd tried to ask her about it but she'd picked him up and cuddled him, assuring him she was fine. He knew better.

Inuyasha was acting strangely, too. He always stayed within easy reach of Kagome and was far more gentle and considerate than usual. He hadn't been hit yet and even Myoga had left the group unsquished.

"Do you think Sango will let us live in the demon slayer's village?" Kagome asked suddenly from her seat near the fire.

Inuyasha's eyes widened, "Is that what you want?"

"I don't know. Maybe," she leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder. "What do you want?"

He kissed the top of her head, "Just you." She looked up at him through her thick fringe of bangs, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," he bent his head and pressed his lips to hers, sensing her inner turmoil and wanting to quiet it. Neither of them noticed when Shippo stole away from the camp fire with a small smile, recognizing his cue to make himself scarce. He knew Inuyasha would make Kagome feel better.

Kagome tangled the fingers of one hand in his hair and returned his kiss, opening her mouth and meeting his tongue with hers with an urgency that surprised them both. His cedar scent wrapped around her, scattering her thoughts and fanning the heat in her belly. She slipped the fingers of her free hand under the edge of his haori, scraping claws against taut flesh.

Inuyasha groaned and tugged off his outer haori, laying it on the forest floor behind her. Supporting her back with one arm, he trailed nibbles down her neck to her collarbone, his lips searing her skin. She arched her back, gasping in delight, as his claws grazed the skin of her stomach under her shirt, tracing a path to her breasts and coming to rest her on her underwire bra. Irritated, he used a claw to slice through the delicate lace, freeing the luscious mounds of flesh. Palming one and squeezing, he teased the hard nipple with his thumb.

The mewling sound she was making was driving him wild; he had to get this shirt off of her. He laid her back on the makeshift bed and split the offending garment down the middle. Naked from the waist up, Kagome gazed up at him, silver eyes burning with passion and youkai lust. She reached up to his undershirt and wrenched the two sides apart and out of his hakama, her claws snagging in the lightweight fabric. He shrugged out of it, letting it fall in a pile behind him. His hair glittered in the moonlight, forming a silver cloud around his face. He was her anchor, safe haven, her entire world. 'Magical…_mine_.'

"So beautiful," he whispered and took a pink nipple into his mouth, letting his fangs sink into her silky skin. The tang of her blood on his tongue sent quivers through his body, painfully engorging him. She writhed beneath him, crying out and raking her claws down his back. Her nimble fingers found the ties of his hakama and tugged them loose. The red fabric joined the undershirt in an untidy pile. He cut through her skirt and panties with one swipe of his claws and pressed the length of his body against hers.

Wrapping her legs around his hips, she gasped, "Kiss me." He obeyed without question, plunging his tongue into her mouth. Her mark hit him like a bolt of lightning, charging his body and standing his hair on end. He reared back and roared…

A/N: I went into the graphic details of their mating but decided against posting it here. You can read the ending on mediaminer(dot)org. Same user id, same story title.


	18. A New Home

A/N: I'm now posting this story on mediaminer(dot)org and it will contain any lemons that are too racy for this site. Same title, same user id.

InuHanyou7: "Flight", as in running away.

Sangome: It's interesting that you mention Fluffy...I've been playing with an idea concerning him...

fluffyrachel: No, I have plenty of steam left in this story...could that be a double-entendre?

I apologize to anyone who asked for an email of the ending of chapter 17 and didn't get it. I tried to send it to everyone, but I may have missed someone. Sorry, sorry! I am simply amazed at the number of requests - hope you liked it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other character created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 18 - A New Home

Kikyo stood with her back pressed to the trunk of a tree, her jet black hair tangling in the rough bark. Her face was impassive but her eyes blazed as she listened to the gentle breathing of the sleeping couple. She had been drawn to the gathering power and had only heard the sounds of love-making when she was close to the small campsite. Intending to move on so as not disturb them, she had turned to retrace her steps but paused when she had recognized his growling voice - Inuyasha.

Rage had flooded her cold body, heating it from the inside out, and she had slammed her back against the nearest tree. She stood there, rigid but trembling, as the cries died down, to be replaced by the soft whispers of slumber. 'Inuyasha, you promised me forever!' her bow creaked in her hand, threatening to break. 'I will not release you from your vow.'

She had never strayed too far from Inuyasha and his group of friends. Even when they hadn't known it, she'd been close, watching. Occasionally, she had allowed him to sense her presence to make sure he didn't forget about her. She thought she'd succeeded; though he protected that insipid fraud with his life, he hadn't gone any further. How had this happened?

She froze as a rustling of the bushes across the campsite announced the presence of another creature. Peeking around the trunk of the tree, she watched the young kitsune creep back into camp and curl up against Kagome's back. Her eyes narrowed, 'Happy little family, is that what they think? I will not be replaced by an imitation.' She risked another glance at the female who dared steal from her. 'But what is this? She's different…no longer human…and no longer pure.'

A wicked grin spread across her face as a plan began to form behind her steely eyes. What she was contemplating was unconscionable, but desperate times called for desperate measures, and she wanted the girl to _pay_.

Kagome sat in the circle of Inuyasha's arms, letting the conversation flow around her but not paying attention to anything said. She smiled softly at how close her two human friends were sitting, knees almost touching. Ever so often, their hands would brush against each other and their eyes would meet. Since she, Inuyasha, and Shippo had arrived at the demon slayer's village a week ago, Kagome couldn't remember her friend being so relaxed and happy.

"Kagome, have you and Inuyasha chosen a house?" Miroku asked, his eyes gleaming with warmth. The lech hadn't commented on her lack of uniform but sent her plenty of meaningful looks. Kagome strongly suspected that the knot on the back of his head had been acquired during a fruitless quest for details from the hanyou.

Kagome couldn't help the pink that stained her cheeks. "We were thinking that we'd move into the one on the hill near the east wall."

Sango smiled at her, "It has a beautiful view of the mountains. I'm so glad you've decided to stay here. With your help, we can bring the village back to life."

"Do you think your ancestors will mind a youkai family in their village?" Kagome chewed on her lip with a fang, her brow creasing.

"My people hunted evil youkai who hurt people. Besides, Kirara has lived in this village for as long as I can remember," the demon slayer patted the fire cat's small head.

Kagome nodded, willing to accept her friend's reassurance but still not completely convinced. Inuyasha's arms tightened around her and a pulse of warmth flowed through her from the mark on her back. She snuggled in closer and sent the warmth back, almost purring when he whuffled in her ear.

"Kagome? Can we go take a bath now?" Shippo piped up, fidgeting with the stick of his lollipop.

She sighed and stood, reluctant to leave her comfortable seat. However, a promise was a promise and she had told the kit that they would bathe after he had finished his candy. "Ok, Shippo, let's go." She gathered her bathing supplies from her pack.

Sango grinned, "That sounds nice. I think I'll join you." The trio sauntered from small house toward the bathhouse, Shippo bouncing at the head of the group. Two pair of male eyes watched them disappear into the twilit evening.

Miroku turned to Inuyasha, "No word yet from Myoga?"

Inuyasha shook his head, his eyes still on the doorway.

The monk closed his eyes and composed his features. "What will you do if we discover a way to change her back?"

Scowling, the hanyou cracked his knuckles. "Where are you going with this?"

"I just want to make sure that you will do what is best for Kagome."

Inuyasha was tired of this line of questioning. Her mother had asked it, he had asked it of himself, now the monk was pestering him. He couldn't answer any of them because he just didn't know. Of course he would still love her as a human, but they would lose their claims on each other. They could marry, but that wouldn't stop other demons who didn't recognize human ceremonies. And, he would have to watch her grow old and die.

The alternative would be to use the completed jewel to become human. However, Naraku had disappeared and they had no real leads on his whereabouts. As a human, he would be vulnerable to attack from any youkai that came along and once word got out about his change, his enemies would line up for a piece of him. He and Kagome wouldn't last very long, even with help from their friends.

He pushed himself to his feet and fixed Miroku with an intense stare, "I'll do what's best for us."

Sango smiled at her best friend through the steam of the bath. "So…how's mated life?" Candles placed around the edge of the sunken bath illuminated the wooden walls and made their skin glow golden.

Kagome blushed and giggled. "It's wonderful, but it'll be better when we have our own house. Not that I don't like staying with you, but…" At Sango's knowing smile, her blush deepened.

"It's nice to have privacy," Sango finished for her. She opened her mouth to say more, then closed it again. She had learned about demon mating rituals and up until now, they had simply been part of her studies. Discussing them with her now hanyou friend put them into a different, personal light. However, she couldn't stifle her curiosity. "Did you…mark him?"

The younger girl's face burned with embarrassment and she glanced at Shippo to see if he was listening. The kit was making water spouts with his hands and seemed oblivious to the conversation. She nodded and scooted a little closer so that they could whisper. "I didn't know that I had done it until he showed me. I mean, I knew I had done _something_, but…"

Sango leaned forward, intrigued. "What was it like?"

Kagome thought for a moment, then shook her head. "It's hard to describe…I didn't do it on purpose, it just built up inside…but I've never felt closer to him…" she trailed off, staring into space. She returned to the present with an internal shake, "How about you and Miroku?"

It was Sango's turn to blush, "Well…"

"Did you kiss?" Kagome grinned impishly and giggled.

"Almost…" Sango rolled her eyes, "then he grabbed my butt and I had to hit him. He always ruins things."

Secretly thrilled that her friend's relationship had progressed, Kagome sighed in commiseration, "Yeah…" She was positive that, eventually, Sango wouldn't follow a grope with a slap.

Inuyasha reflexively slapped the back of his neck as he sat on the porch of the house he shared with Kagome and Shippo, watching his mate practice simple attacks with Sango. She had decided that, since she could no longer shoot purifying arrows, she should learn how to use a weapon that did a little more damage. She had chosen the chained sickle that Kohaku had used and was quickly getting the hang of it, thanks in part to her enhanced youkai reflexes and agility. Inuyasha would help her develop her demon attacks when they figured out what they were. Smiling, he was proud of his strong, beautiful mate.

"Myoga," he opened his hand, frowning at the squashed flea demon on his palm.

The tiny youkai sprang back into shape with an indignant, "My lord!" Twitching his mustaches, he regarded his master reproachfully through beady eyes. "Is this how you greet your faithful servant?"

"Yeah, when he takes a bite outta me."

He humphed and crossed his arms, "I've been traveling many miles for you, my lord, and was in need of some refreshment."

"Keh."

The flea rolled his eyes; it was useless to expect gratitude from his young lord. "You may wish to call your mate. I have discovered the origin of her crest." Inuyasha's ears perked forward and he emitted a short, high pitched bark. Kagome deftly caught the sickle and, winding the chain around her forearm, hurried over to her mate. Sango followed a few paces behind; she couldn't match the speed of which Kagome was now capable.

When the group had settled and their full attention was fixed on the flea youka, he drew himself up to his most regal stature. "I have traveled the length and breadth of the lands to the north-"

"Get on with it," Inuyasha growled impatiently.

"Inuyasha," Kagome protested and nudged his shoulder.

Myoga cleared his throat, "As I was saying…I traveled the northern lands in search of news of the crimson star that you bear." He pointed to the crest on Kagome's forehead. After a week of fruitless search, I finally found a tribe of kitsune that were familiar with the mark." He paused for effect.

"And?" Kagome nudged the hanyou again, harder.

Myoga clasped his hands in front of him, enjoying the center of attention but less than thrilled at the bad news he was about to give, "They informed me that the star belonged to a tribe that had lived in the mountains but were decimated and driven from their homes by a ferocious ogre. The few survivors that fled into the lowlands were picked off at the ogre's leisure or died of their wounds."

"They're all dead?" Anger flared in the pit of her stomach and Kagome clenched her fists. "How long ago?"

"Over a year ago, according to the chief of the kitsune tribe. I am sorry, my lady" he sketched a quick bow at his new mistress.

"Is the ogre still there?" Inuyasha interjected and took Kagome's hand in his, squeezing it.

"It is, my lord, but very little is known about it. No creature that enters it's realm lives to tell about it."

Kagome couldn't suppress the growl that rose out of her chest. Her youkai was seething within her, demanding blood for blood. "I'll kill it."


	19. A Piece of Her

A/N: Thanks to all the people who took time to review! This one is a little short. Oh well.

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Jenn-silent breed, Angel452, inuyasha4ever1, MiniSparky, TaintedInuShemeeko, Owari Nai Yumes, inulover4391, Hoshi-chan1

Bus Buddie: Fooled ya, didn't I! Haha!

Heather: You will just have to keep reading and find out :)

Sangokirara711: Thanks, it's been a challenge.

Dark Inu Fan: I picked something lightweight, lethal and that required aim.

fluffyrachel: now, now, she'll get hers...

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Inu-Shinta, ME, Katara, futekioosha

Woobaby: It made more sense to me, too.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 19 - A Piece of Her

Kagome launched the sickle with a flick of her wrist, watching in satisfaction as it sliced though the airborne melon that landed on the grass in two neat halves. Spinning and catching the sickle behind her back, she grinned at the taijiya.

Sango shook her head in amazement. "I can't believe how good you've gotten, Kagome! It takes most slayers years to master that."

"So you think I'm ready?" Kagome held her breath as she waited for her answer, anxious to start the hunt for the ogre that slaughtered her kin. 'Not my kin,' she corrected herself. 'Close enough,' her demon blood replied.

Her brow creased in thought, Sango contemplated the fox hanyou's question. She really was proficient with the sickle; she could've beaten several of the demon slayers that had lived in her village. However, slicing melon and facing the enemy in battle were two completely different things and no amount of training could prepare one for a real fight. Then again, the girl was no stranger to battles. Maybe what she needed was a little field practice. "I suppose we won't know until you try. Why don't we find a demon to exterminate? I'm sure there's a nearby village with a youkai problem."

Kagome nodded, disappointed but able to see the sense in it, and tucked an errant strand of hair behind a pointed ear. As much as she wanted to rush off and destroy that monster, she knew that she only had one chance and didn't want to blow it. "Tomorrow night is the new moon. We can leave the day after."

"Sounds like a plan," Sango squeezed her friend's shoulder and headed back toward the cluster of houses. "I'll go get dinner started. You finish up practicing while there's still light."

Shafts of the setting sun flared on the edge of the mountains and gleamed off the blade of her sickle. Grimacing, Kagome hefted it in her hand. The day had gone by so quickly that she'd hardly noticed the afternoon fade into evening. In fact, time was moving at a relentless pace; it had been three weeks since she'd seen her family. 'I have to check in before they start to worry about me.' Her conscience tugged at her, 'A little late for that; they're probably already worrying.' After Sango's test, she'd go through the well and put her family's minds at ease. She chuckled to herself. This was one test to which she was looking forward.

Eyeing her target, a bag of soil suspended from a rough wooden structure, she ran forward. 'Strange, I'm a little slow tonight." she thought, right before her foot landed in a small hole. She sprawled face-first in the grass, crying out as the tip of the sickle bit into her shoulder. She rolled onto her back and groaned, staunching the flow of blood with her hand. Her entire body ached and her head felt stuffed with cotton.

Red and silver streaked toward her, "Kagome!" Skidding to a stop beside her, two golden eyes blinked down at her anxiously. "Are you OK?"

She closed her eyes to lessen the nausea that clenched her stomach. "I tripped," she muttered. 'Hold yourself together, girl. Do not puke!' Strong arms lifted her and held her close.

"I'm so sorry that you have to go through this," his breath tickled her ear and her stomach seemed to calm.

"It's just a flesh wound," she was starting to feel a little better; her head was clearing but sounds were still muffled, as if she were covered in pillows.

"Shhh, I'll get you inside."

"How can you go through this every month?" she moaned and pressed her palms to her eyes.

"You'll get used to it," he hugged her frail human body tighter to him, careful not to disturb the bandage on her shoulder and wishing he could spare her from the discomfort of her human night. "It's only one night."

He'd felt a strange lurch through his mark and smelled her blood shortly afterward. The shift in her scent confused him at first, then he'd realized what must have happened. He'd found her moments later lying in the grass, a human girl with hot, sticky blood welling between her fingers.

He'd dressed the wound and was now trying to comfort her the way his mother had comforted him. When he was young, his human nights were terrifying. He hadn't understood why his senses were dull or his body different. Cuddling and crooning to him, his mother had soothed his fears until he could sleep.

Kagome was alarmed by how uncomfortable she was as a human. 'This is ridiculous, I've been human all my life!' Since her youkai blood had receded, she felt weak and disoriented. She hadn't realized how much she had relied on her new senses and strength. Her one consolation was that she could easily sense her jewel shards. 'So, my miko powers aren't gone, they're just suppressed by the demon blood.'

"You know, Kagome," Inuyasha nipped at the nape of her neck, delighted by the gooseflesh that prickled her arms. "I haven't kissed you as a human."

Her attention drawn from her discomfort, she shifted in his lap so that she could look into his eyes. "Don't you think that humans are weak and pathetic?" her voice teasing but slightly doubtful.

"I do, but I'll make an exception for you," he brushed his lips over hers, relishing the satin skin and delicate floral scent of the girl he had met two years ago. Though lacking the wild musk of her youkai blood, it was no less intoxicating.

"I should hope so, since I _am_ your mate," she mumbled between kisses, lacing her fingers through his silver hair. Parting her lips and deepening the kiss, she ran her tongue over his fangs. He moaned into her mouth and pressed her to him, claws already searching for her belt.

"Kagome, Inuyasha! Dinnertime!" Shippo bounded through the door but came to an abrupt halt, trying to suppress a chuckle as the two sprang apart. "Don't you two ever give it a rest?" He darted out of Inuyasha's grasping reach and stuck out his tongue.

"Inuyasha, stop it!" Kagome swatted his arms away from the kit, wincing when the action tweaked her wound. Inuyasha's struggles immediately ceased and he looked at her in concern.

Shippo stopped, just out of harm's way. "Hey, Kagome, you're human! Is this your human night or are you practicing shape shifting?" He eyed her closely and sniffed the air.

"I guess it's my human night."

"You'll change back in the morning?"

"Probably," she answered and added silently to herself, 'I hope so.' Her shoulder wound would already have started healing if she were hanyou, not to mention the fact that she wanted to kill that ogre herself and she wouldn't be able to do it as a human.

"OK, carry on then," the kit waved his hand magnanimously, "but Sango said it'll get cold soon." He dodged another blow from the hanyou and ran out the door.

"Runt! Get back here!" Inuyasha shouted at his retreating back. High-pitched laughter floated back to them on the warm night air.

"It's OK, Inuyasha. I'm hungry anyway." She sighed and got to her feet.

"Who's idea was it to adopt him?" he grumped, glaring into the darkness.

"What do you mean, who's idea? We all agreed to it, including you!" she jabbed his shoulder with an outstretched finger.

"Oh, so you _like_ being interrupted?"

"Don't you start with me!" her brown eyes flashed a warning.

He opened his mouth to argue, then thought better of it. He didn't want Kagome mad at him all night, not when there were so many other things to do. Settling for an arrogant "Keh," he stomped out of the house. Pausing under the eaves, he looked over his shoulder at his irritated mate. "You coming?" Her scowl dissolved to be replaced by a soft smile. She quickly closed the distance between them and took his hand.

Kikyo glanced behind her with flinty eyes, making sure that her soul collectors were well out of sight. She crept toward the house under the thick blanket of darkness, the chirping of crickets disguising the soft sounds of her footfalls. She was glad that Inuyasha and his whore had chosen a house so far away from that of their friends'. Needing a piece of Kagome's human self, she had waited for the night when the girl would lose her youkai powers.

The little house stood empty and quiet. Pulling back the bamboo cover and slipping in, she scanned the room for something she could use. The coppery scent of fresh blood drew her to a corner of the room. Hidden in the shadows was a soggy bandage that had been carelessly tossed away. Grimacing in distaste, she picked it up by a clean corner and deposited it in a small bag tied to her belt. Twin pinpoints of red light gleamed from her eyes as she stole out of the house and back down the hill.

A/N: If anyone is interested in being a beta, let me know. My grammer is rusty.


	20. Mole Hunt

A/N: A big thanks to everyone who volunteered to beta test and SmallFlower, who did this chapter. I wasn't able to access the emails of everyone - just a note, email addresses with 'at' signs get cut off in reviews. I've decided to post this chapter now, even though not all the betas have responded, because it's late anyway.

This is the clean version of this chapter - the full chapter is posted on MediaMiner(dot)org in all of its lemony glory ;)

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SadPoet, BusBuddie, will prunty, BloodGore, fluffyrachel, InuPhoenix, stardragon12, Amirha, Samari Princess458, Inulover4ever, Taeniaea, inulover4391, Toya's Gurl, TaintedInuShemeeko, MiniSparky

Dark Inu Fan - yeah, I was sort of drawing on that. The spell hit her the night before Inuyasha's human night. So, a lunar cycle would put her human night at a day before his.

bresteen - definately a stalker. How else would she be able to pop up at such opportune moments? I don't like her either.

AkuTenshi13 - I can't tell you that! Maybe that was a bit OOC for her, but you never really know what goes on in her head.

forgottenangel2 - well, I try to update every week...

Sangome - yeah, it was time for her to cause a little mischeif.

Owari Nai Yumes - lots of that in this one :)

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aNiMe HeLLcat, Lady Ceri, missbritt321

Disclaimer - I do not own any of the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi

Chapter 20 - Mole Hunt

"Well, this is ironic, ain't it?" Inuyasha glared down his nose at the cowering villager standing outside the gate of the demon slayer's village. "Give us one good reason we should help you."

The villager glanced from Inuyasha to Kagome, and then prostrated himself in the dirt of the road. He was over forty, the remains of his hair tied back in a sparse topknot. The dust stirred up by his efforts was rapidly coloring his faded blue kimono to a nondescript brown. "We humbly apologize for our treatment of you, Lady Kagome, but we have no one else to turn to. Lady Kaede…"

Inuyasha cut him off with a snort and turned his back to him. "It's up to Kagome."

Eyes as hard and sharp as the blade of her sickle, Kagome stared at the man from Kaede's village.

"_I'm sorry my child, but ye can't stay here. I will help as much as I can, but ye must leave."_

_Kagome could not believe her ears. Was Kaede kicking her out of the village? "But…"_

_Kaede shook her head, sadness in her eyes. "This is a human village. They accepted ye because ye were the reincarnation of their beloved miko and they accepted Inuyasha and Shippo because ye accepted them. But they will not accept a family of demons in their midst."_

'They threw us out of their village because I became hanyou and now they want us to save them from a demon?' Kagome unconsciously flexed her claws, her demon blood seething with fury at Kaede's gumption to send this villager. The human part of her soul was quicker to forgive, 'You couldn't have expected them to forget hundreds of years of prejudice, could you? And this _is_ the demon slayer's village." She glanced at Inuyasha out of the corner of her eye. Sensing her internal war, he was watching her closely, trying to read her next move.

Her gaze settled back on the man on the ground, slicing through him more cleanly than any knife. Trembling, he kept his face pressed against the parched earth, disregarding the pebbles that bit into his skin. 'Pitiful,' her youkai seemed to sneer in the back of her mind. Her humanity recoiled, 'Which is why we should help them. We can't refuse someone who needs our aide! Besides, it would be good practice'. Before her youkai could protest, she nodded once, decisively. "We'll do it."

The man started to rise, stammering his thanks, but she stilled him with a cold glare. He couldn't help but shiver in the hot morning sun. "You can tell Lady Kaede that we will be at the village in the morning." She spun on her heel and stalked through the gates of the village.

"You don't have to do this, Kagome," Inuyasha murmured in her ear. "Sango and Miroku could easily take care of it." He tightened his arms around her under the sleeping bag, his body curled around hers. Shippo lay snuggled against her chest, twitching in his sleep.

"I know," she wound a lock of his black hair around her claw and snuggled in closer. "But Sango said I need the practice and this mole youkai will serve that purpose."

"I don't fucking like it."

"You said it was up to me," she tugged on the lock of hair to emphasize her point. "We were friends with Kaede for a long time. I can't turn my back on her and neither can you."

"Keh. Just be careful."

She knew she was right; as gruff and rude as he usually was, he had a big heart and wouldn't deny help to someone who asked. "I will, but remember your promise. You'll let me do the fighting and only jump in if I can't handle it."

He snorted; disgusted that he'd been cajoled into making a promise like that. Coerced, more like it. He'd definitely been under a form of duress, and didn't that make a promise invalid? How had she known to hold him like that and tug, ever so gently, until his thoughts had scattered and he'd been left shaking and sweating. He would have probably agreed to anything at that point. It was a pity that Sango and Miroku were sleeping across from them on the other side of the campfire; he wouldn't mind revisiting that bit of coercion.

Feeling him stiffening against her lower back, Kagome gave his hair another sharp tug. He really was insatiable and she would have been more than willing, not to mention curious about his performance as a human, but now was not the time or place. Shippo whined softly in his sleep and she wrapped her arms around him, purring. She felt, rather than heard, Inuyasha soft sigh, his warm breath tickling the back of her neck.

"I've seen mole youkai tear up fields, but nothing like this," Sango surveyed the remains of the village in shock.

Kagome winced at the twinge of guilt that nagged her conscience. 'Don't be stupid, they kicked you out, remember?' but she couldn't help but think if only they had settled closer to the village or if they had tried to reason with its people, then maybe they could have prevented the catastrophe. She couldn't hold on to her anger in the face of their loss. "It must have a jewel shard to have caused this much destruction." Sango nodded sadly.

Jagged holes gaped where there had been neat, little rice patties. The road beside the river where she had ridden her bicycle had been obliterated and the river itself was choked with mud and debris. The youkai had burrowed under the village and now trenches cut the land where the ground had caved in. Several huts had collapsed and the stench of rotting corpses was ill disguised by incense and burial herbs.

Lifting her head high, Kagome ignored the wary glances of the villagers as she followed Sango to Kaede's hut. She felt exposed in the black taijiya's uniform that she had borrowed from Sango. The red front and black panels did not cover near enough of her body for her taste. Sango had laughed at her, reminding her that her school uniform showed much more bare skin. However, it didn't outline every curve of her body. The deciding factor had been Inuyasha's double-take when he saw her dressed; the heat in his gaze stirred the pit of her stomach, leaving her breathless.

The old priestess hobbled out of the hut to meet them, leaning on a crude crutch and wincing with each step. Kagome felt Inuyasha stiffen by her side and, sending reassurance through her mark, she took his hand and squeezed it. "We thank ye for coming. As ye can see, we were ill-prepared to fight such a foe."

Sango bowed to Kaede only as low as courtesy demanded. "We are sorry for your loss."

The priestess sighed and dropped her eyes, "It was my own short-sightedness that allowed it to happen. I hope ye can forgive me, Kagome, my child."

"She ain't your anything, old hag," Inuyasha growled through clenched teeth.

Kagome squeezed his hand harder. "You did what you thought you had to do."

"Aye, that I did." Kaede rubbed her face with her hand, exhaustion numbing her battered body. Her shoulders sagged under the weight of years-old sorrow. She hadn't expected forgiveness and had hardly let herself hope that they would come. It hurt her heart to feel the lack of camaraderie between them, especially knowing that it was her fault. She sighed again, "The youkai was last seen heading in the direction of the Bone Eater's Well. It comes to ravage our village at night."

Kagome swung the sickle in a tightly controlled arc, concentrating on the rumbling beneath the ground. The mole was digging quickly toward her leaving a swath of raised earth and uprooted plants in its wake. The branches of the forest canopy swayed and whispered uneasily in the twilight, forming tortured faces and grasping hands. Her heart hammered in her chest, but she kept her breathing even and steady. She knew her friends were close by, watching, and she didn't want them to jump in prematurely because of an attack of nerves. Letting her youkai senses extend toward the approaching mole demon, she felt the power of a shard of the Shikon Jewel.

The forest floor exploded in front of her in a shower of dirt and leaves. She leapt to the side and flung the blade at the enormous brown, furry body rising out of the hole. Feeling tension in the chain, she yanked it back, tasting the tang of blood in the air. The mole youkai screeched a horrible, high-pitched sound that set her teeth on edge. Sniffing the air, it turned its sightless eyes toward her and snarled; baring its sharp, elongated front teeth. It stretched its long claws toward her and lunged.

Easily dodging the clumsy attack, Kagome thought, 'This was a lesser youkai before the jewel shard transformed it.' She ducked a swing of its giant paw and rolled out of reach, coming to her feet in a low crouch. 'Why did Kaede have such a difficult time with it? She's repelled attacks from worse youkai.'

The mole swung around to face her and opened its maw, shrieking and spewing a clump of writhing brown tentacles. 'No.' Kagome slashed at one that got too close, 'They're roots.' Twisting and twining around anything they touched, the roots squeezed until the trunks of young trees snapped and rocks were crushed to dust. Kagome leapt up and over its head, whipping the sickle around to bury itself in the youkai's head. Keeping a firm grasp on the chain, she let her weight and the momentum of her jump pull the blade through its skull. Shrieking and clutching its ruined head, the mole belched another tangle of roots onto the forest floor.

Landing neatly, Kagome swung the sickle over her head and back toward the youkai, slicing through its soft neck. With a spray of blood and a wet gurgle, the youkai keeled over, its blind eyes blank and dead. She snapped the sickle back into her hand and warily approached the body. It was dead but it had died too quickly; this weak youkai couldn't have been the source of all that destruction. Making a small incision in the back of its head, she removed the jewel shard and deposited it in her bottle.

"Too fucking easy." Inuyasha sauntered over to her and glared down at the body.

Kagome wiped the blade of her sickle in the grass, cleaning off the blood and gore. "I know."

"So where's the other…" The hanyou's eyes widened in shock as the ground opened up beneath them. Kagome careened into him and clung to his haori as they both tumbled into the pit. Scrabbling with his claws as the walls of the hole, Inuyasha caught hold of a large root, stopping their descent. They both hung there a moment, staring into the blackness below their feet.

"Kagome? Inuyasha?" Sango, Shippo, and Miroku peered over the edge, squinting into the darkness.

"We're OK," Kagome called up, her claws tearing holes into the red fabric. Inuyasha grunted and braced himself with feet against the wall of the pit, tightly grasping the root. Hand over hand, he began hauling them out of the pit.

Kagome squeaked and kicked at something tickling her ankle. Glaring over his shoulder, Inuyasha grouched, "Quit squirming, wench."

"Something's touching me!" She flailed a foot that had somehow gotten tangled in a cluster of roots.

"Stupid, of course something's touching you. We're in a hole in the ground."

"I'm not stupid, you…" Kagome shrieked as she was suddenly pulled down into the pit by her ankle. She hit the ground with a thud and was immediately drug deeper into the tunnel. Inuyasha's frantic voice echoed back to her as the last bit of light from the hole was extinguished. She called back, a short yip that she was hardly aware of making. Twisting her body so that she was on her stomach, she dug her claws of one hand into the soft earth and kicked her legs, trying to free the grip on her ankle. More roots twined around her wrists and up her legs, dislodging her claws from the earth. "Inuyasha!" she screamed as the roots drew her further into the tunnel.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha barreled into the tunnel, one hand on the wall to guide him. He followed the sounds of her voice but he couldn't see in the inky blackness. Her scent was almost completely overpowered by the dank, mildew scent of the other mole youkai. Furious at himself for losing her, he shouted her name again, relieved when he heard her reply. He yanked Tetsusaiga from its sheath and quickened his pace. 'Why aren't the roots attacking me?' he wondered as the raced along the passage. He winced as the answer became clear, 'You didn't kill the other mole.' His heart missed a beat when Kagome's scream was cut short, followed by the smell of her blood. It was close; he hoped he wasn't too late.

Slashing blindly in the dark with her free hand, Kagome desperately tried to locate her opponent. This mole was much more intelligent than the other; it had immobilized her legs and one of her arms and was leaping at her from all angles, tearing gouges in her skin. One of the smaller roots had wrapped around her head, effectively gagging her. The clean, pure scent of jewel shards was much stronger and she locked onto source of their power, flicking the blade of her sickle toward it. An ear-splitting shriek shook dirt from the walls of the tunnel and the roots tightened their hold, cutting into her skin. She groaned into the root in her mouth and yanked the sickle into her hand. Slicing the roots that bound her arm, she felt the mole's sharp teeth sink into her thigh.

"Kaze no kizu!" The earthen passage was lit by brilliant fingers of energy as they tore rivulets in the walls and floors. The mole youkai wailed and shot straight up, frantically digging toward the surface of the ground. Kagome shook off the slackened roots and leapt after it, closely followed by Inuyasha.

Crashing through the thick underbrush, the injured mole left a wake of bent saplings. Ignoring her injuries and giddy with the smell of the blood of her prey, Kagome raced after it. Dimly, she heard Inuyasha calling her name and shouted back, a primal youkai call to the hunt. His answering roar stirred her blood and she grinned fiercely. Her prey was close ahead and it was _not_ going to get away. Neither hanyou noticed Sango and Miroku riding a transformed Kirara soaring above them.

The mole youkai screamed as two pairs of claws tore into its burnt sides, leaving ragged gouges that bled freely. Instinctively, it began digging, keening in fear and pain. That horrible sword bit into it, tearing through its soft belly and still it dug, even as consciousness ebbed away. Its final shriek was ended by a slash to its throat by the hanyou that had killed it's mate. Lying in a pool of its own blood, the mole shuddered once, and then died.

Panting, the two hanyou stared at each other over the body of mole, their gaze ignited by bloodlust. With a fierce growl, Inuyasha leapt over the corpse and tackled Kagome, locking her lips with a bruising kiss.

Miroku stared down at them from the back of the fire cat, open mouthed. "Next to a _corpse_?"

"It's a demon thing. Come on, you letch, let's leave them alone," Kirara roared and circled away from the passionate couple.

"Why Sango, you wish to be alone with me?" He leaned against her back, trying to see her face. His hand itched to rub her pert backside.

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "I didn't mean it that way." She swung her elbow into his gut at the gentle squeeze of her butt, and was rewarded by a painful grunt. She should have expected something like this. Mated demons who shared a kill often finished up by, well, mating. Some demons ended up mated _because_ they had hunted together. Still, she had been taken by surprise, probably since she just didn't think of her friends as the demons she had been trained to analyze and exterminate. Inuyasha really hadn't displayed much typical youkai behavior until Kagome had been transformed.

Miroku simply did not understand. How did a surly, obnoxious, arrogant guy like Inuyasha get a bedmate before him; a handsome, thoughtful man of the cloth? Indifference, Hochi had told him once, but he could not be indifferent to the delights of women.

Kagome peeled off the exterminator's uniform that Sango had lent her, tugging Inuyasha into the screen of trees. The blood beat heavily in her body, pounding out a rhythm that ached to be shared. He had already discarded his inner and outer haori and was loosening the knot of his hakama. The ties tore in his fist and he kicked out of the fabric, hard and ready for her. Consumed by the sharp, musky scent of his mate, he growled low in his throat. His youkai instincts took complete control and scattered human thought to the wind. He lunged at her, his flowing silver mane trailing behind like a banner, and backed her up against the rough bark of a tree.

LEMON

Breathing hard, Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her abdomen and laid his head on her back. Kagome closed her eyes and sat back on her legs, leaning against his slick body. Letting her head fall back against his shoulder, she whispered, "I love you."

He rolled them to the forest floor and curled his body around hers. "Love you," he murmured, nuzzling her neck.


	21. Rude Awakening

A/N: Sorry about that link problem on my profile. Apparently, my mediaminer profile was broken for a few days. I replaced the link with one to the story itself. Always feel free to email me.

FFnet

InuyashaHanyouJajuama, Ayriel, Lauren1, Rubius, Tempus Mori, Tarren, wh00t, AkuTenshi13, InuPhoenix, Owari Nai Yumes, Tainted InuShemeeko, Toya's Gurl, Starlit333, inuyasha4ever1, InuyashaGirl-2610, Dark Inu Fan, GnomeInuyasha

Sangome - I don't know that Miroku is a virgin, though for all his trying, he doesn't get much action. Acuatlly, I left out a word - I meant _constant_ bedmate. Oh well.

MMorg

Megan Consoer, starlit333

Chapter 21 - Rude Awakening

Inuyasha jerked awake to a familiar scent: herbs and graveyard soil. Kikyo's soul collectors circled above like sad specters, casting a pale, ghostly glow on the trees. 'Kikyo! What could she possible want?' he gently lifted Kagome's arm and carefully scooted away from her. She whimpered softly but didn't wake, curling up tighter against the cool air. He pulled his fire-rat haori over her, tucking the edges under her body to keep her warm. Dressing quickly, he followed the soul collectors to a gnarly old tree in which Kikyo was sitting. One of the eel-like youkai swooped down to her, dropping a gleaming soul that was absorbed into her chest. Smiling softly and sliding out of the tree, she met his eyes. She could have passed as a normal priestess to anyone else, dressed in the white haori and red hakama of that station, her long straight hair tied back with a simple white ribbon. Inuyasha knew better; she hadn't been a living woman for over fifty years.

The sight of her brought back a rush of memories, not all of them sweet: watching her from the boughs of a tree as she passed below him, poling her across the lake in a small boat, her delicate fingers trailing in the cool water, her face twisted in anger as she shot him with her sacred arrow, sealing him to Goshinbuko. They no longer had the sway on him that they used to, even the longing he had felt when he saw her face was gone, replaced by sadness for what had been lost.

She glided toward him, her light steps barely bending the grass beneath her feet. She stopped an arm's length from him, her deep brown eyes soft and sad. 'Kagome used to have those eyes. Is that why I could finally accept her as a mate, because she no longer resembled Kikyo?' Her fingers extended, she raised her hand to his face. He backed up a step and she let her arm fall to her side, sighing.

"So, you've found love in another," her voice was the rustle of wind through trees.

He nodded, "I still care for you, and I will keep my oath to avenge your death, but…" he trailed off as she pulled from her belt a small package wrapped in red silk and tied with a thin black cord, clasping it in her hands. "It wasn't meant to be, not after what happened."

She brought the package to her chest, holding it close to her heart. "You don't have to explain, I understand. After all, what is a promise made between lovers separated by death?" He remained silent, refusing to rise to the bait. Didn't he deserve the happiness denied him for so long? Did she really expect him to go to hell with her when there was so much to live for?

Kikyo watched him closely, hiding the malice she bore him behind her mournful mask. It was critical that he trust her for just a little longer, as he had done for the past two years, despite her obvious betrayals. She dropped her eyes demurely and extended the square of silk to him. "Please accept this as a wedding gift for your new…bride."

He gingerly took the proffered package and weighed it in his hands. "What is it?"

"Nothing more than a small token to show my sincere wish for your happiness." He seemed hesitant to accept it. "You don't have to tell her who it's from."

He snorted, "Kagome's not like that." But he wasn't really sure; he knew that Kagome's mistrust and jealousy of his and Kikyo's relationship ran deep.

Kikyo shrugged as her soul collectors began to swirl around her, "As you wish, Inuyasha." Wrapped in their iridescent tails, Kikyo rose into the air and vanished.

"Thank you, Kikyo," Inuyasha whispered to the empty night air, holding tightly to the silk in his hands. A hard, uneven object lay in its folds and he resisted the temptation to untie the cord and peek at the secret hidden within. Should he tell Kagome that the gift was from Kikyo? Suddenly missing her with a dull ache, he took off to where he had left her.

Kagome blinked at him sleepily from underneath his outer haori. She'd woken up alone and shivering, the memory of their love making still sticky on her thighs. And had he told her he loved her? She smiled shyly, her heart fluttering in her chest. "Where'd you go?"

He snorted and refused to meet her eyes, "Just checking something out."

Her smile dissolving and her silver eyes narrowing dangerously, Kagome sat up and glared at him, covering her chest with the red fabric. "Checking _what_ out?"

"Nothing important." Definitely, he wouldn't tell her about the origin of the gift. Kagome's temper regarding Kikyo had been bad enough as a human, but with demon blood and a mark in the mixture, Bad Things Would Happen. Attempting to distract her from what he knew she was thinking, he dropped into a squat in front of her and kissed her firmly. Her initial resistance melting as his lips moved over hers, she returned his kiss, her makeshift blanket slipping from her fingers. He broke the kiss and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, let's go find the others."

Her eyes widened, "Oh, I forgot! Shippo must be worried…"

"He's probably with Sango and Miroku."

She groaned and covered her eyes, "We didn't…not in front of that lech…"

Inuyasha chuckled at the color rising in her face. He shrugged on his red haori, watching her pull the form-fitting exterminator's uniform over her gentle curves. He almost envied the garment that hugged every inch of her body. Cocking his head to the side, his silver ears twitching, he considered peeling it back off of her. "I'm sure Sango took care of him."

"Inuyasha!" she shot him an exasperated look, lifting the small bottle of shards from underneath the tight garment.

"Keh! I didn't mean it that way…" his flustered answer trailed off as a nasty thought occurred to him. "Uh, Kagome, you didn't…"

"Didn't what?"

"You didn't get the shards, did you?"

Kagome gasped and shook her head slowly, her hand clutching the bottle to her chest. "I forgot all about them…"

Inuyasha spun on his heel and tore back to mole's body, cursing his carelessness. Kagome snatched her chained scythe off of the ground and chased after him, almost running into his still back where he had stopped to stare at the carcass.

Kagome's stomach rolled slowly; the corpse wasn't far from where they had slept. 'I can't believe we…near…" She pressed the back of her hand to her mouth, trying to quell the nausea that suddenly gripped her stomach. The thrill of the hunt, tearing into the mole with her claws, the passion and energy that flowed through her, all seemed like a surreal dream in the bright morning light. 'I enjoyed doing this,' she couldn't tear her eyes from the deep gashes in its sides, already black with flies. She moaned softly against her hand and backed away, bile rising in her throat. No longer able to hold it back, she dropped to her knees and retched.

"Kagome? You OK?" Inuyasha called to her.

She wiped her mouth and took a deep breath before answering in a futile attempt to hide the quaver in her voice. "…yeah."

"The jewel shards are gone." At his terse, quiet statement, Kagome pushed to her feet and staggered over to him, her stomach still roiling in protest.

"Are you sure? What happened to them?" She stopped behind him, letting his broad red back partially hide the carcass from view. The stench seemed to coat the insides of her nostrils; she whined and rested her forehead against his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fucking sure," he grouched but turned around and wrapped her in his arms, the folds of his voluminous sleeves surrounding her. "If only…"

"What?" she asked, her voice muffled by the fabric.

He sighed quietly and pulled her away, just far enough to see into her face. Now was not the time to bring up her suppressed miko powers. Maybe later he could find Kikyo and ask her if she'd seen anything. He brushed off the pang of guild that hit him; it was just a simple question, not a romantic tryst. "Never mind. Are you sure you're OK?"

"I'm fine, but that," she waved vaguely at the body of the mole demon, "is making me sick."

Nodding, he pulled her onto his back. "Let's get you out of here"

Miroku fixed Inuyasha with a stern glare, "Are you telling me that the shards are gone but the body of the mole is still there?"

"That's what I said, ya stupid monk," Inuyasha crossed his arms and his chest and glowered, trying to disguise his unease.

"And you didn't see or smell anyone nearby?"

"Keh."

"Indeed," the monk frowned at the indistinct answer and glanced at Kagome. She was sitting in the corner of Kaede's hut, still as pale as when she'd slid off of Inuyasha's back. Sango and Kaede had insisted that they rest until she was feeling better but Kaede had left them alone, stating that she had work to do elsewhere. Kagome had said that the sight and smell of the corpse had made her ill, but now he had to wonder. But if she had caught him sneaking off to see Kikyo, she would be upset, not nauseas. Regardless, it was pointless to press the hanyou when he didn't want to talk; it only made him angry and more tight-lipped. He would discover the answer to this riddle eventually, hopefully before anything serious happened.

Sango wiped Kagome's forehead with a damp cloth. "Feeling any better?"

Shadowed silver eyes met hers, "Yeah, but…"

"Tell me what's wrong," Sango insisted, dipping the cloth in the bowl of river water on the floor. "Does it have to do with the mole youkai?" Kagome nodded slowly. "You can't let it bother you, Kagome. You simply did what is in your nature to do." She brushed her fingers through the younger girl's bangs, revealing the crimson star on her forehead.

"It's so strange; I remember everything clearly but it seems like someone else did it," her gaze was drawn to her claws and she flexed them slowly, feeling the mole's flesh tear beneath them.

"Youkai instincts, Kagome. Give yourself time to get used to them."

Kagome smiled wanly at her friend's assurances. It wasn't killing the demon that bothered her; she'd killed lots of demons. It was the pleasure and arousal that had accompanied it that had shaken her. Good girls didn't do _that_ near a freshly slain enemy. 'You're not a 'girl' anymore. You're a demon, and that's what demons do.' But she couldn't remember Inuyasha enjoying killing except when he transformed. 'Because his mate wasn't killing it with him. You kinda started it, remember.' Yes, she had, and the memory of that youkai cry bursting out, her mate's scent curling around her, sent a rush of adrenaline and delicious tightness through her body.

Shippo giggled and Inuyasha's head snapped around, his nostrils flaring. Kagome flushed bright red and shrugged at her girlfriend's questioning stare. "Will that always happen?" she whispered.

"Your instincts are very strong. I'm sure you'll feel them whenever you fight," Sango whispered back, wondering why they were speaking so quietly.

"No, I mean…after," Kagome waved her hand vaguely, the last word barely audible.

"Oh," Sango suddenly realized what was bothering the girl. "Ummm, very probably."

"She's right," Shippo spoke up from his nest in her lap. "My mother and father would often go hunting together and leave me behind. They'd come back all cuddly and grinning and…"

"Thank you, Shippo," Sango warned. The little kit was just to worldly for his own good.

Inuyasha stomped over and scowled down at them suspiciously. "Oi, what are you three talking about?"

Batting her eyelashes innocently, Kagome smiled up at him, "Nothing important."

He snapped his mouth shut. If she was well enough to play games, then she was well enough to move on. Drawing himself up straight and tucking his arms into his sleeves, he announced, "Let's go. We've wasted enough time here."


	22. Promises

A/N: I've started posting a new story that I've been playing with for a while. This one will remain my main project but I'll try to keep posting regularly to both. However, no promises.

FFnet:

TaintedInuShemeeko, dragonSpired48, Owari Nai Yumes, DragonessoftheMiko'sFlame, Toya's Gurl, MiniSparky, starlit333, Dark Inu Fan

Sangome: I don't think I'll write a lemon for EVERY time!

MMorg:

aNiMe HeLLcat, Black Rose28

Disclaimer - I do not own any character created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 22 - Promises

Inuyasha fiddled with the silk package in his pocket as he stared at the Bone Eater's Well. Kagome had dropped down it minutes before, casting him a disconcerted look as she disappeared into the pink light. He had insisted that she go back to her time without him; he had to take care of something. Sango, Miroku and Shippo were already on their way back to the demon slayer's village; soaring over the trees on Kirara's back. He was alone to search out Kikyo but he didn't like the feeling that he was "sneaking around", as Shippo had once put it.

He snorted and launched into the air toward the place they had killed the mole, scanning the treetops for a sign of Kikyo or her soul collectors. 'She wouldn't understand. I'm doing this for our own good; Kikyo may be the only person who knows what happened to those jewel shards.'

"Inuyasha, Mom wants to know if you can come over for dinner…" Kagome pulled herself out of the well and looked around. She was alone in the field. 'Where'd he go? To take care of something…' Her heart beat faster as different possibilities strolled through her mind, but it kept coming back to one thought. She shook her head to dispel it, 'He couldn't have gone to Kikyo. He wouldn't do that to me. He's probably just looking for the shards…'

She sat on the edge of the well, thumping her heels against the ancient, weathered wood. "Should I go back through the well or try to find him?" Worrying her bottom lip with a fang, she lifted her head to sniff the wind. His scent was strong in the clean air; he would be easy enough to follow. He wouldn't mind if she came after him. Once she got his answer, she could go back and he could finish whatever he was doing. Then again, if he had wanted her with him, they could have done it together when she got back. She whined quietly and hunched her shoulders, her face scrunched in agitation as her mind twisted in circles.

The whine deepened into a growl as her youkai instincts pushed to the foreground, 'He's your mate, go find him.' She relaxed her shoulders and dropped to her feet, pulling her aura into herself so that she could search for him undisturbed. Catching his scent again, she leapt after him.

Feeling silly, Kagome edged around the mole's body, trying not to look at it. 'See? He's just looking for the jewel shards.' Following his winding path through the trees and remonstrating herself for being petty and jealous, she suddenly caught another scent and froze in her tracks. 'That's Kikyo's scent…he didn't…' Her heart skipped a beat as the graveyard soil scent came again, mixed with Inuyasha's unmistakable cedar. Running on the balls of her feet, she slipped silently through the trees toward the telltale smells.

"Inuyasha. To what do I owe this pleasure?" Kikyo regarded him through the thick fringe of her bangs. She had been careless to not move further away from the place they had last met. Not expecting him to come after her so quickly, she had tarried to watch the effect of her gift on the couple. "Twice in one day is uncommon for us."

He closed the distance between them, "I need to ask you…did you see who took the jewel shards from the mole youkai?"

Kikyo shook her head slowly, relieved that he hadn't come to return the gift. "I did not go near there," she lied; carefully maintaining her sorrowful, pious mask. In fact, she had waited until they were asleep, disgust shining in her eyes. To think that she'd wanted to spend her life with an animal that would rut in the bushes with a cheap imitation. When she was positive she wouldn't be seen, she'd collected the shards that they had carelessly left unguarded; how kind of them to supply her with the last thing she needed for her revenge.

A brief shiver of power touched her aura; jewel shards were near, and carried by the woman who had stolen her soul, no less; time to twist the knife. Kikyo schooled her beautiful features into an expression of devout love. "Inuyasha…"

"Kikyo?" She looked so much like the woman with whom he'd fallen in love so many years ago. His resolve to keep her at bay was quickly melting into pity. He had a life and love, but what did she, an undead creature, have? He couldn't deny her the solace she seemed to need.

Her eyes glittered unnaturally bright in the late afternoon light as they filled with moisture. She blinked and a tear slid down her cheek. Inuyasha caught it on the tip of his finger and it quivered there, gleaming like a diamond. Kikyo grasped his hand and laid it against her cheek. "You won't…forget me, will you?"

Sighing, he brushed away the next tear that fell. "I could never forget you." With a small gasp, she flung herself into his arms, pressing her face against his chest. Shaking with laughter that she twisted into sobs, she wrapped her arms around his back. Feeling him embrace her, she laughed harder. He'd bought her performance. Lock, stock and barrel.

'Inuyasha, how could you?' Kagome's eyes burned as she chocked on a lump that blocked her throat. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but their actions were clear enough. 'You said you loved me,' she pressed her forehead against the rough trunk of the tree and squeezed her eyes shut, her claws raking off ribbons of bark that fell at her feet in curly strips. 'He loves her, too. Always has. You think he'll ever stop?' Her control over her aura, the power that hid her scent and the feelings broadcast through her mark, were slipping and she didn't want to confront him right now, not when every instinct screamed at her to tear apart the dead woman in priestess' clothes. Something was breaking within her and she clutched her chest, staggering away from her hiding place.

Kikyo smiled inwardly as Inuyasha's ears twitched at the faint tearing sound. She hoped his little bitch was enjoying the show as much as she was. The hurt caused by this scene would only make her curse that much more potent. The power of the shards was growing distant; apparently, she'd seen as much as she could take. Pulling out of his embrace, she gazed up at him with liquid eyes and trembling lips. "Do you promise?" She could barely suppress the chuckle the bubbled up at his solemn nod; such a fool.

Laying on her bed curled into a tight ball, Kagome sobbed into her pillow. Her throat was raw and her head ached, but still the tears came, racking her small body with their force. Her pillows bled stuffing where her claws had gouged holes into them, but she didn't notice and wouldn't have cared. All she could see was her mate in the arms of another woman. All of those sweet words and loving caresses, did they mean nothing? Was she really second best to a walking corpse? Moaning, her voice hoarse with crying, she clenched her fist in her pillow, tearing gashes in the already perforated material.

At a light knock on the door, her eyes fluttered open. "Kagome?" her mother's voice was muffled through the closed door.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome tried to steady her voice. "Yeah, Mom?"

"Do you need to talk about something?"

The love and concern in her voice brought fresh tears to her eyes, but she didn't want to discuss it yet. The pain was too fresh, too deep. "No…"

"You know where to find me if you need me," her mother's quiet footsteps padded away and she was once again alone with her crushed heart. Dragging herself off her bed, she stumbled over the window and slammed it shut, locking it tightly. The shrine in which the well was hidden hulked liked an evil toad and she yanked the curtains closed, blocking it from view. Flopping back onto her bed, she rolled herself in her comforter and stared at her blank bedroom wall. What was she going to do?

Inuyasha jerked awake, the back of his head hitting the wall of the old well. Glancing up at the sky, the first blush of morning kissing the tops of the trees, he realized with a start that he had dozed off while waiting for her to come and had ended up sleeping the night through, but Kagome was not back yet. 'She must have fallen asleep over there. We had a pretty busy day yesterday,' he grinned lasciviously. 'Maybe I'll go over there and join her.' He stretched luxuriously and then hopped down the well, anticipating crawling under the warm blankets with his mate.

The window was locked; short of breaking the glass, he couldn't get into her room. He knew she was there; he could smell her even through glass. Frustrated, he applied more pressure to the window frame, which creaked in protest. He didn't want to break it but he had to get in. She was upset about something; the scent of her tears permeated the air and her suffering radiated through her mark.

Tapping on the glass, he tried to peer through the gap in the curtains, frantic to catch a glimpse of her. Only a thin sliver of her desk was visible, no matter how much he craned his neck. Growling, he dropped from the window ledge and tried the backdoor. It was also locked, as were the front door and the rest of the windows. Stomping around to the backdoor again, he grabbed the doorknob with every intention of pulling the door off its hinges. The knob turned in his hand and swung open, revealing Souta's sleepy face.

"Inuyasha?" he yawned and rubbed his eyes with a balled fist.

"Hey, runt. Where's Kagome?" he peered around the boy into the brightly lit kitchen.

"In her room. Did you two have another fight or something?"

"N-no, why do you ask?" his heart thudded heavily in his chest at the thought that the anguish he felt from her could have been caused by him. Could she have seen him with Kikyo? But wouldn't he have smelled her or sensed her presence? Not if she were masking it…

Souta shrugged and yawned again. "She's been crying all night and now she's sick."

Inuyasha pushed past him and thudded up the stairs to her room, cursing himself for being an idiot by not telling her the truth in the first place. Bursting through her bedroom door, he was greeted by a rumpled, empty bed. "Kagome?" he shouted, not caring that his voice shook the house.

The mark on his back pulsed; she had heard him and she was near. He spun on his heel ran out of the room, locking onto the source of his mark on her. He flung open the door to the bathroom and almost tripped over Mrs. Higurashi as she sat rubbing Kagome's back. Kagome glanced up at him accusingly, her silver eyes puffy and ringed with dark circles. She was sitting on the bathroom floor, leaning against the bathtub as limp as a rag doll. Mrs. Higurashi stroked her back and ignored the hanyou frozen in the doorway. "Do you want a minute alone, Kagome?" At her weak nod, she rose to her feet and looked the hanyou in the eye. "She's had a rough night. Try not to upset her." She left the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

Sagging against the door, Inuyasha stared down at his miserable mate. "Kagome…"

Taking a shuddering breath, Kagome silenced him with a raised hand. "I saw you."

"It's not what you think!" his words echoed emptily off the tiled room and he dropped to his knees in front of her. "I swear! I just wanted to ask her about the jewel shards."

"Since when does asking questions involve _touching_?" she shot back, fury burning through her veins as the image of them together rose in her mind. Her stomach gave another heave, but she refused to give in to it.

"She was so lonely, I had to do something," it sounded so stupid now that he said it out loud. What had he been thinking; hugging Kikyo like that?

"And what else did you do?" she ground out through her clenched jaw.

"Nothing! You have to believe me!"

Kagome's mouth dropped open and she closed it with a snap, outrage sparking from her eyes. "_Believe_ you? How can I trust you if you sneak off to see other women? You went to see her in the morning too, didn't you? Right after we…" His stricken gaze was answer enough. Closing her eyes and leaning her head against the tub, she pulled her knees against her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

She was shutting him out; he could feel her pulling away, their connection growing fainter. "Kagome, you don't understand," he whispered, crawling towards her. He touched her shoulder; when she cringed from his hand he pulled away as if burned.

"Leave me alone, Inuyasha." If he didn't leave soon, she was going to be sick on _him_, which he _deserved_ since it was his actions that had gotten her so worked up in the first place.

"I'm not leaving you," he reached for her again and stroked her shoulder, hating the way she leaned away from him into the side of the cold bathtub. His gentle touched seemed to sooth her boiling insides and dissolve her resistance. Unbidden, hot tears rose in her eyes and she pressed her face against her arms. Inuyasha whined and crawled closer, enveloping her in his embrace. "Please don't cry," he murmured as he tried to nuzzle her face. "I didn't mean to…I'm sorry." He licked at the tears that trickled down her face. Her body shook with sobs and he pulled her onto his lap, rocking her as if she were a pup.

She stiffened suddenly and scrambled out of his lap. Leaning over the bowl of the toilet and holding her hair out of her face, she retched. Inuyasha took the hair from her hand and rubbed slow circles on her back until she was finished. Pale and sweaty, her eyes and nose running, strands of black hair sticking to her temples, she was still beautiful. No more secrets, he promised her silently, smoothing damp hair from her face.

Gathering her into his arms, he carried her back to her bedroom. She lay against his chest, sniffling softly and twist her fingers in his haori. He kicked the door closed and laid her on the bed, kneeling beside it. Curling into a fetal position, she drew into herself and squeezed her eyes shut.

Resting a palm on the curve of her face, he spoke softly, "Kagome." Reluctantly, she opened silver eyes but kept them fixed on a spot on his shoulder. "Kagome, look at me." Her eyes wandered up to his, her gaze distant and miserable.

"There's nothing between Kikyo and I. What I did…it was stupid. Please forgive me." She blinked, tears seeping out of her eyes to soak into the blanket, but nodded slowly. The tracks of her tears left open wounds in his heart and he whimpered in pain. "You're the only one for me." She uncurled an arm and touched his cheek with her fingertips. Leaning into her hand, he closed his eyes and drew her scent into him.

"Do you promise?"


	23. Kikyo's Gift

A/N:

FFnet

Jon C, Owari Nai Yumes, MiniSparky, heather, Toya's Gurl, Forgotten Angel, GnomeInuyasha, TaintedInuShemeeko, dragonSpired48,

Sangome: No, she wasn't this evil in the manga though she's done some strange stuff. I'm just having a little fun with her because I don't like her.

arla love: I'm not ending it very soon.

MMorg

Sara R, alize, aNiMe HeLLcat

Disclaimer - I do not own any character created by Rumiko Takahashi

Chapter 23 - Kikyo's Gift

Kagome sat on her bed and stared down at the square of red silk in her hand. "Kikyo gave you this to give to me?" She was feeling a little silly, now that the situation had been explained to her. She should never have doubted him like that, but seeing them together had hurt so much that she hadn't even considered that it could be innocent. 'Who can blame you, he used to go to her all the time.'

Inuyasha nodded, watching her face closely. She'd perked up after a nap but he still had the feeling that she was fragile and could break at any moment. However, keeping his promise to her, he had given her Kikyo's present. "She said it was a wedding gift."

Kagome rubbed her nose with a finger and giggled softly. "But we aren't married."

Shrugging, he scooted closer to her and rested his chin on her shoulder. "We are for youkai."

"I really should tell my mother." She frowned and closed her hand around the gift, trying to feel the shape of the object inside. Something about it made her skin crawl, but she couldn't place it. 'I'm probably jumping at shadows…'

"Ain't ya gonna open it?"

"You don't know what it is?"

"Keh. It's for you; I didn't open it."

"Hmmm," she opened her fist and examined the silk suspiciously. 'Don't be stupid, Kikyo wouldn't do anything to hurt you.' Tugging on the black cord, she untied the knot and unfolded the silk. Lying in her palm was a small pendant of green jade, a thin leather thong looped through the hole at the top. Thick in the center and thin at the edges, it was carved in the shape of a spiral with the center of the spiral at the thickest part of the pendant. Inuyasha picked it up by the thong and let it hang in the air, spinning slowly. "What do you think it is?"

"Beats me," he said as he separated the strings and wrapped them around her neck. Kagome lifted her hair as he tied the two ends together. Dropping her hair, she fingered the pendant, still unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong.

After knocking softly, Mrs. Higurashi opened the door a crack and peeked in. "Could I interest either of you in some lunch?" Kagome quickly tucked the pendant under her nightshirt and smiled at her mother.

"Sure, Mom. Thanks!"

"My pleasure, dear," her face withdrew, leaving them alone again.

"Inuyasha?" she twisted around to wrap her arms around his waist. He held her close, his heart beating in time with hers. What would he have done if she hadn't forgiven him?

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I overreacted. I won't doubt you again."

"Keh," he muttered gruffly around the rising lump in his throat.

"Mom, can we have a word with you?" Kagome let the words tumble out of her mouth before she could change her mind.

Mrs. Higurashi looked up from her book, her glasses propped on her nose. "Of course, dear." She set the book aside and waited for her daughter and the hanyou to settle themselves on the couch. Hanyous, she corrected herself as Kagome's bangs shifted and the star on her forehead peeked through. Inuyasha was scowling off into space, his arms tucked into his sleeves. She had the impression that this talk was Kagome's idea. "I'm listening," she prompted.

"Well, as you know, Inuyasha and I have gotten very close…" she fidgeted with hem of her blouse.

"I'm glad you've worked out your differences," she reached over and patted her daughter's hands.

"Uhh, yeah, that was a misunderstanding," Kagome said, waving her hand in the air as if to brush away the past. Inuyasha snorted and glowered at the ground.

"You're not pregnant, are you?" Mrs. Higurashi tried to catch her eyes, wondering what it was that she was so reluctant to tell her.

"No! Inuyasha can smell when I'm…" Kagome blushed furiously at her own words, having just admitted that they were having sex to her mother. As if she didn't know already. "No, we're…"

"Mates," Inuyasha bit out. Kagome's nervousness put him on edge and he wanted this discussion over and done with as quickly as possible. It's not like her mother could do anything about it now anyway; mating was forever.

Mrs. Higurashi leaned back in her chair, her lips gathered in a an 'O'. She drummed her fingertips against the arm of the chair for a moment. "And what does that mean?"

"Youkai marriage, mom."

"I see." She glanced from Kagome to Inuyasha, then back again, still drumming her fingers on the arm of the chair. "Were you planning to have a wedding ceremony?"

"Not really…youkai don't marry other youkai. They mark each other."

"I suppose that's not something you invite guests to?" she asked wistfully. She had long since gotten used to the idea that her daughter was in love with a half demon, and hadn't been surprised when they had decided to become physically intimate, but she really had looked forward to a wedding. Just a small ceremony, nothing fancy…

Inuyasha choked and started coughing. Kagome felt the heat suffusing her face at the mental image of her mother, grandfather and Souta at the campsite in the woods, dressed in gowns and tuxedos, toasting their happiness as Inuyasha and she… "No, mom."

Mrs. Higurashi sighed, white veils, floral arrangements, and champagne slipping through her fingers. "I hope you reconsider. You were born human, remember."

"A lot has changed."

"I know it has, dear. Where are you going to live?"

"We moved into a little house in Sango's village…"

Inuyasha's attention wandered as the conversation moved into home decorating, gardening, and other domestic human things. Something that Kagome said was bothering him: '_Inuyasha can smell when I'm…_' in heat, he finished the thought for her. Now that he thought about it, shouldn't she be in heat now? She was at this time last month. As a human, her cycle had been monthly but he supposed it could have changed. He'd have to ask her about it later.

"Isn't that right, Inuyasha?" Kagome stared at him expectantly.

"Uhh… yeah." He winced inwardly, wondering what it was he'd just agreed to, but not about to admit that he hadn't been listening.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled warmly at him, "Well that's wonderful."

Inuyasha leapt out of the well, Kagome's big yellow backpack slung over his shoulder. Dropping it on the ground, he turned to stare down the well, waiting impatiently for Kagome to appear. Her mother had taken the news of their mating pretty well, almost as if she'd expected it, but had wanted a few last words with Kagome before she left.

Several minutes later, the well filled with light and Kagome stood at the bottom, looking up. She grinned at him and pushed off the ground, clearing the lip of the well and landing neatly beside him. "Ready to go home?" she asked, picking up her backpack.

"Keh. _I've_ been waiting for _you_."

"Whatever," her laughter faltered as the ghost of a shadow flitted across her face. She shook her head and blinked, her eyes unfocused. The backpack slipped to the ground, forgotten.

"Kagome? What is it?"

She pressed a palm to her chest; it was as if a great weight were settling into her body. "Nothing, I just…feel dizzy." She reeled and caught herself on the edge of the well, sitting hard on the grass. The weight seemed to press harder on her, saturating her limbs with lead as the sky spun above her. Inuyasha's anxious face filled her vision, his mouth moving, but his voice was distorted and low. She tried to call his name as blackness over came her.

"Kagome? Kagome!" Inuyasha caught her before she fell backward into the grass, propping her up against the wall of the well and patting her cheek. Her eyes rolled back into her head and slid shut, her face flushed and her body radiating a fierce heat. Tearing open the backpack, he dumped the contents on the ground and snatched up a bottle of water. He twisted off the cap and poured it over her face and neck, frantically looking for signs of improvement.

Her eyes snapped open, drops of water quivering on her lashes. Before he could react, she grabbed the ball of her chained scythe and struck him across the forehead. He tumbled backward, stars popping before his eyes, too surprised to yell in pain. Leaning into a crouch, she yanked the scythe into her hand and sent it whirring toward him. He rolled to the side but felt the blade slice through his torso and ricochet off the hilt of Tetsusaiga. "Kagome, stop!"

Warm blood soaked his side as he rolled again to avoid another swing of the scythe, which buried itself in the ground next to his head. Her face blank and eyes calm, Kagome pounced on him, claws extended toward his neck. He lunged backward, knocking her claws away but losing his balance as he hit the wall of the well. Tumbling head over heels, he fell backward into the well. Unable to catch himself, the time warp swallowed him.

"What the fuck?" he asked the shrine roof, laying on his back and clutching his side to staunch the bleeding. She had been fine one moment, then she'd passed out and tried to kill him? Growling in frustration, he climbed to his feet and waited for the well to open again, tensing himself for another attack. He had been taken by surprise this time, but there was no way she could beat him when he was ready. He would subdue her and figure out what had taken hold of her; there was no doubt in his mind that something had possessed her.

Finally, the time warp activated and the scents and sounds of his own time enveloped him. Kagome's musky scent was faint but lingering; she wasn't waiting to ambush him. He thrust off the ground and landed outside the well with a grunt of pain, staggering as he fought for balance. His haori was soaked with blood and his ribs burned. 'I must have been hurt worse than I thought.' He scanned the field for his mate. Her yellow backpack still lay empty in the grass, but its owner was gone.


	24. Body and Soul

A/N: Sorry this is a bit late. It's been a busy week. There are only a few more chapters left to this fic – probably 3 or 4. Yes, I will finish it. Thank you all so much for reading. I'm actually looking forward to wrapping this up because, as much fun as it has been, I'm excited about the other one I am working on.

FFnet:

Angel Sancuary, Angelfire412, pinky2007, kimi, lady Kcassandra, watergoddesskasey, MiniSparky, MagicV, Dark Inu Fan, WickedGame, rosebud, inuyasha's2hotmiko

Kitty Kudan: The necklace is explained. I don't think the 'mate dies if the other dies' is canon, though I know it is a popular theme.

Gohan757 – Inuyasha always trusts Kikyo. Pisses me off.

Lauren1 – it was functional last time I checked…

Amanda Trinh – Kinky-ho! LOL!

Mmorg:

Alize – thank you!

Edited by: SmallFlower

Disclaimer: I do not own any character created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 24 - Body and Soul

Inuyasha stumbled into the hut he shared with Kagome and glanced around the dark, empty room; despair rising thick and black in his throat. Dropping to his knees, he slammed his fist into the wood floor until his knuckles were bloody and the boards had splintered. She'd masked her scent and he'd been unable to track her. She had not gone to Kaede's village or down the well. Leaping over the forest canopy, he scanned the ground for her lithe figure, shouting until his voice was hoarse and his throat raw. Out of ideas, he'd returned to the demon slayer's village on the off chance that she had come home.

More disturbing than her disappearance was the total lack of connection through their marks. He should have some sense of her, but there was nothing. It was only here, in this hut, that Kagome's presence surrounded him, the musk of her scent permeating the structure. His eyes fell on their futon, slightly rumpled from when they'd lain together after the villager had come with his plea. Arms and legs entwined, he'd kissed her until she'd stopped trembling. "Kagome…"

Her vacant expression mocked him from the shadows, barren walls looming over him like a cavern. Why hadn't she known him? She'd attacked him when she'd first started to change, but she hadn't really tried to hurt him. He could feel his happiness shattering; the pieces scattering like the shards of the jewel after it had been struck by Kagome's arrow. Was his life with Kagome irreparably broken? There _was_ no life without Kagome. He shook his head, a low whine escaping his throat. He'd failed her but he didn't know how.

"Inuyasha?" Shippo timidly spoke from the doorway; the bamboo curtain pushed aside just enough to let an eye peer through.

"What is it, Shippo?" his voice was as flat and hollow as the emptiness in his chest.

"Are you alright?"

He shook his head, letting his bangs fall into his face and hide his eyes. The injuries she had given him had almost healed but the wound on his soul burned hot and dry, all the more because he was sure that somehow, it was his fault. Light fingers touched his shoulder and he jerked reflexively from the contact.

"Inuyasha?" the kit's voice wavered on the brink of tears.

"She's gone Shippo. I can't find her."

Shippo sat hard, his legs suddenly unable to support him. His lips quivering and eyes filling with tears, he threw his head back and wailed a cry of loss and mourning.

Inuyasha clenched his teeth on his own howl, struggling against the crushing weight of defeat. Sharp claws bit into the floorboards, gouging chunks from the already damaged wood.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"He hasn't left the hut in a day," Sango whispered to Miroku as they stood in the doorway of Inuyasha and Kagome's hut, arms linked and faces grim. Miroku shook his head; Shippo had not exaggerated the situation.

"You cannot lose hope, Inuyasha. To despair is to die." Miroku regarded the silent hanyou with concern; he never seen him so crushed and overwhelmed. Inuyasha would fight to the death, even if the odds were stacked against him and there were no chance of victory. Now, he sat hunched in the empty hut staring at the wall, his golden eyes clouded and faded. Normally alert and active, his silver ears drooped limply against his hair.

"You must have seen or felt something when you came through the well," Sango urged. He shook his head without looking up from the wall, his gaze unfocused.

"What happened before you went to her time?" the monk released Sango's arm to steeple his fingers and closed his eyes.

He shrugged noncommittally. He'd gone to see Kikyo, but she hadn't done anything to Kagome. Kikyo had been with him. He shuddered involuntarily at the thought of the dead woman's arms around him, Kagome watching from the trees, her heart breaking. Had she not forgiven him after all? Maybe she had left him for Kouga? He closed his eyes as the world lurched under him, wrenching a whimper from his chest.

"There had to be something. Inuyasha, think, damn it!" Sango was suddenly angry at the pitiful creature. Moping would not bring Kagome back.

His lips curled back in a snarl, "Leave me alone."

Miroku had had enough. Stomping into the dimly lit hut, he whacked him over the head.

"Hey! What'd you do that for? You think I'm not suffering enough?" Startled out of his melancholy, the hanyou glared at the monk and rubbed the knot on the back of his head.

"Idiot! Look at yourself, sulking in this hut. The Inuyasha that I know would be out scouring the forest for her." He hit him again for good measure.

"You think I haven't done that already?" Kagome's face rose in his mind's eye, no recognition in her eyes as she brained him with the ball of her scythe. The pendant Kikyo had given her had swung from beneath her blouse, a green stain against the white cotton. He blinked, finding himself face to face with Sango, who had seated herself in front of him. "Kikyo's gift…"

"Kikyo gave you something?" Sango peered into his face, confused. Why had he gone to see Kikyo? His unwavering trust in the undead priestess never ceased to amaze her, especially considering the number of times she'd betrayed him.

"No…she gave it to me to give to Kagome…a wedding present."

Miroku sat next to Sango, wishing he had questioned the hanyou further when he'd brought Kagome back to Kaede's village, pale and sick. He'd suspected the Kikyo was involved and that woman was nothing but trouble.

"What was it?" Miroku's eyes darkened as Inuyasha described the jade pendant. The priestess truly had succumbed to evil to be able to use such black magic. "You do not sense Kagome because her soul is no longer in her body."

"What?" Inuyasha's ears snapped forward.

"You described an object used in a curse that pulls the soul from the wearer. Kikyo will have a matching pendant, though it will be thin in the center and thicken toward the edges. If the two pendants are joined, then Kikyo will own the rest of Kagome's soul. She probably used the jewel shards from the mole youkai to strengthen the curse."

Inuyasha closed his eyes and bowed his head, thoughts whirling. Had Kikyo been playing with him from the beginning, her sad smiles and soft sighs masking unadulterated malevolence? How could the love they had shared been so corrupted? Time and again, she'd betrayed them and he'd always defended her, given her the benefit of the doubt. Now, she'd manipulated him into hurting his own mate. "How do we break the curse?" he growled, his jaw twitching with the force of his clenched teeth. She'd shown her true face; he wanted to rip it off.

"We must smash the pendants before they are joined. Once together, the curse is irreversible."

He sprang to his feet, flexing his claws. "Come on, there's no time to lose."

Sango stood and brushed herself off. "I thought you said you couldn't find her."

"I may not be able to find Kagome, but I sure as hell can find Kikyo."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Akane ran through the forest, letting her instincts guide her north and home. The body was not her own, she was sure. She remembered the survivors of her clan fleeing down the mountain, her kit held tightly in her arms. He'd stopped breathing but she wouldn't let him go; he was all that was left of her family. Her mate had died getting her out of the village, crushed by the ogre's giant spiked mace. Crashes and screaming, falling trees and the heavy scent of blood followed her as the ogre picked off the fleeing kitsunes. Days and nights bled together as she left the horror behind her. Her harrowing flight had eventually brought her to a spring in the lowlands, but her wounds were bad and not improving. With her last bit of strength, she had buried the body of her kit in the soft soil and sent her soul to the vessel, her broken body dying around her.

Why she had power over this new body, she had no idea; the spell wasn't supposed to work that way. Vaguely, she recalled merging with another soul, leading it through the change and sinking back into the darkness. That other soul was now gone and she was left in control.

She'd been snapped back to the earthly plain to an inu-hanyou dousing her with water. Hardly aware of herself and without thinking, she'd fought him off and fled, masking her scent and aura so that she couldn't be followed. It was only after she'd left him far behind that she felt that she should have known him. His silver hair and golden eyes seemed so familiar, as if he'd visited her in a recurring dream. His stricken expression stabbed at her heart, wounding her with its pain and shock. She'd almost stopped and gone back, wanting to smooth the lines of hurt from around his eyes. Steeling herself, she'd pushed on; he was an echo of the _other's _life. She had to get home and find what was left of her kin.

She'd been running hard for a day and a night. Dawn was just beginning to break with a newborn glow that chased the lingering shadows from the trees. Birds tittered from their nests, greeting the light with songs of joy and supplication. Rodents scurried and foraged now that the night predators had gone to sleep. The forest pulsed with energy and Akane listened as she ran, the sounds of life warming her heart. How long had it been since she'd been a part of the living world? She had no idea. Finally, the land began to incline and the dense, ferny undergrowth thinned, to be replaced by hardier shrubs. She had reached the base of the mountains.

She became aware of a presence trailing her, faint but constant. Once in a while, the scent of graveyard soil would waft by, disappearing again as the wind changed. She was certain it wasn't that poor hanyou; she idly hoped that he hadn't been hurt too badly. No, it was dead and malicious, a specter or undead creature with a thirst for…her? She shuddered, pulling her aura more closely around her and increased her pace, pushing to the limit the of hanyou body she inhabited.


	25. Stolen Goods

A/N: Edited by SmallFlower

FFnet

Toya's Gurl, TaintedInuShemeeko, agent-doo, Inu'sAngelGurl, Soon to be world renown Gracie, sailorgirl16, kitty-inuyasha, Cresents Moon, MiniSparky, MagicV

Jon C – it's hard not to do something that's been done before. Just about everything has.

Inuyasha's2hotmiko and Sugar Baby – Akane is the name of the fox demon who merged with Kagome at the beginning of the story. She took over when Kagome's soul was pulled out. Sorry for the confusion.

Stardragon12 and StarDragon97 – did you get them?

MMorg

Blackrose28, flrsblue, Bladecutter1

Disclaimer – I do not own any character created by Rumiko Takahashi

Chapter 25 - Stolen Goods

Inuyasha leapt over the canopy of the forest, Shippo clinging to his shoulder, his senses strained for a sign of Kikyo. Sango, Miroku and Kirara flanked him on one side and Myoga on a large black crow were on the other, just barely in his line of sight. So far, they had caught no sight or scent of Kikyo and her soul collectors. She had always turned up at odd times: just when they needed her help or when her presence was most awkward and he'd never had trouble finding her before. Anger twisted in his gut as he wondered whether she'd always been close, timing her appearances and plotting the scenes in order to keep his trust and love. How many times had Kagome found them embracing in the forest? Kagome, who never hurt anyone and who had promised to stay by his side, despite his old feelings for Kikyo. She had played him as the fool and he had bought it.

They had decided to go north to the mountains. According to Miroku, if Kagome's soul had been pulled from her body, there was a chance that the fox soul that had merged with her had taken over. The kitsune may try to head back to her homeland. Inuyasha had wanted to start their search near the well, the last place he had seen her.

"_Keh. Kagome wouldn't go to the mountains, not without me."_

_Miroku rubbed his temples, tired of arguing the point with the distraught hanyou, "I've told you, she isn't Kagome anymore. She is the fox demon with whom she merged."_

_Inuyasha glowered at him, refusing to accept that Kagome could be completely absent from her own body. To accept that would be to accept that she might never be back _in_ her body and he wouldn't do that. "We're tracking Kikyo, anyway," he finally bit out._

"_Kikyo will follow Kagome in order to get the other pendant. If we find Kikyo, Kagome will be close by."_

They were going on a lot of assumptions, but since he'd already searched near the well and didn't have any better ideas, they had followed the monk's advice. He just hoped that they weren't too late. 'Kagome, I'm sorry, please be OK.'

Myoga's crow squawked suddenly and Inuyasha hollered to Kirara as he veered off to meet the flea demon. He landed on ground and glared at Myoga, who was perched on the preening bird, waiting for the group to assemble. Kirara followed close behind.

"Why did we stop, Myoga?" Inuyasha growled and cracked his knuckles.

The flea winced. "My faithful steed," he patted the bird's gleaming feathers, "has been listening to the forest creatures' gossip." He ignored Inuyasha's rude snort. "He has informed me that the ogre of the mountain has been disturbed, which means someone has entered his territory."

"Coincidence?" Sango asked and glanced at Miroku.

"I doubt it," Miroku answered, tightening his grip on his staff. He knew that Inuyasha didn't buy his reasoning for heading north, but he was almost positive that that's where Kagome, or whoever she was now, had headed.

"Could it be reacting to us?"

"We've barely entered its territory," he pointed out. "I don't think it knows we're here yet."

"Then we follow the ogre?" she was glad that she had changed into her exterminator's uniform before they had left the village.

The monk nodded. "The ogre will be the easiest demon to track."

"Will ya stop yapping already so we can get going?" Inuyasha's angry bark broke their conference. He hated planning and strategizing; he wanted to go kick some ass.

Myoga's crow squawked and took flight as the ground shuddered beneath their feet. "Lord Inuyasha, I see the ogre!"

XxxxxxxxxxxxX

Sifting through the rubble that had once been the entrance to her den, Akane's eyes burned with unshed tears. The soft earth had caved in, leaving a depression in the ground where the main chamber had been. None of the other dens were intact, either, and some stank of long-dead occupants. It was nothing more that she expected, but she had still hoped to find something. She hadn't even seen another youkai, let alone kitsune, on her path through the mountain. Except for that thing that was following her, she corrected herself. She hadn't been able to shake it, not that she'd really tried. She knew it was close by, watching her.

The village was relatively undisturbed; the bodies of those who had died in the open were gone but the scavengers of the forest had not dug up those who had been buried in their homes. No one had survived; she was all that remained in of her village and she was in a stolen body. Akane rested her head in her hands and sank down onto her haunches, finally letting the tears come.

XxxxxxxxxxxxX

Souls collectors twined around her, masking her presence, as she watched the object of her hatred. Why she had come to this burnt-out, empty village, Kikyo neither knew nor cared. However, she _did_ know that an ogre now claimed the territory and that she should get the pendant and leave, as quickly as possible.

Still, she watched the woman with a morbid fascination. She hadn't expected another soul to claim the body after Kagome's soul, _her_ soul, had been drawn into the charm. She should have guessed that events wouldn't go as planned because _something _had changed the girl. Kagome should have simply collapsed, an empty shell waiting for purification. She'd have forced Inuyasha to watch as she took the pendant and completed her soul, and then destroyed the body of his mate. It would have broken him, to know that he had betrayed Kagome and caused her death, just as he had done to her. 'He didn't kill you, Naraku did,' the last shred of her conscious whispered in the back of her mind. She pushed it away impatiently. Regardless, he had betrayed her by mating that imposter.

Sensing the activation of the curse, she had rushed to claim her prize but had been startled when it began to move. She'd had hardly any time to enjoy Inuyasha's suffering as he combed the forest and surrounding areas for his bitch. Disappointed that some of her fun had been spoiled, she'd followed the pendant on its trail north and into the mountains.

A flock of birds erupted from a nearby tree, screeching in fear. Kikyo glanced at them, and then gradually let her body take its corporeal form. The ogre must be getting close.

Akane raised her head to stare at the apparition before her. Dressed in the white haori and red hakama of a priestess but exuding the menace of a demon, the woman was beautiful, cold and dead. 'Her body is made of clay,' she realized with a shiver. She stared at Akane impassively, no hint of emotion in her brown eyes.

Akane stood and flexed her claws, bracing herself for a fight. "You've been following me. Why?"

The dead woman narrowed her eyes but made no move toward her. "You have something that belongs to me," she said quietly but forcefully.

"This body…"

Kikyo laughed, short and devoid of humor, "No, the body you can keep. The jade pendant around your neck, however, is mine."

Wrapping her fingers around the charm on the thong, Akane frowned at her. "How is that?"

"It was stolen by the previous owner of the body you now possess."

"Really. And how was it stolen?" The woman's claim could be genuine, but there was something wholly untrustworthy about her. Even if the pendant did belong to her, Akane wasn't sure that she wanted her to have it.

"What does it matter to you, demon? It is mine and I want it back." Kikyo was losing control of her temper. She was too close to completing her soul to be thwarted by an impudent demon in a stolen body. She pulled an arrow from her quiver and notched it in her bow. "Hand it over, unless you want to die a second time."

Akane cocked her head and planted her hands on her hips, an eyebrow raised in surprise. Did this woman actually think that she could kill her with an arrow? Her amusement faded as the arrow began to glow pink. 'Sacred arrow…she really is a priestess, or was at one time. She intends to purify me.'

"Kikyo, no!" Akane whirled toward the shout. The inu-hanyou who had been with her when she had awoken landed between her and her aggressor with a thump, drawing a rusty sword that flared with youkai power and transformed into an enormous fang-like blade. On his shoulder, a young kit stared at her with liquid emerald eyes, blinking tearfully.

"Are you alright, Kagome?" he asked, glancing back at her.

Akane shook her head and took several steps backward, his anxious yellow eyes piercing her soul. She stumbled as a pulse of heat emanated from the mark on her back, a mark she hadn't even noticed having. The kit wailed and flung himself at her, arms outstretched. She caught him and held him close, the memories of her own son flooding her mind. She choked out a sob; this was her son and mate, returned to her. Her knees buckled and she dropped to the ground, clutching the kit tightly to her breast. Under her body, the ground trembled and she cried harder. "Not again…"

Kirara touched down off to the side of the standoff and Miroku and Sango slid off her back. "Inuyasha, the ogre is hot on our heels!" Miroku shouted to the hanyou, who stood between Kagome and Kikyo. "Sango, see to Kagome." She nodded and ran to the girl crumpled on the ground.

"I know that!" Inuyasha yelled back. He had been ready to tear into the priestess, but now that he faced her, he couldn't quite bring himself to do it. She was still the same Kikyo, proud and beautiful.

"Does she have the other pendant?"

Sango spoke from behind the hanyou, "No, Kagome still has it." She was hesitant to touch the sobbing girl who held onto Shippo as if he were a lifeline. The kit clung to her, wailing her name and crying into her blouse. The jade pendant was barely visible under the kit's head.

"Stand aside, Inuyasha. I will pull her into my wind tunnel," Miroku unwrapped the prayer beads from his hand, ready to free the curse in his hand and suck the priestess into the void.

"Wait, Miroku!" Inuyasha shouted at him.

Sango gasped, incredulous, "Inuyasha, surely you can't…"

"I have to do this myself," he growled, staring his former love in the eye.


	26. Betrayal

A/N:

FFnet:

AnimeFanatic1011, Moon Beam Weaver, agent-doo, Shipposfriend, Soon to be world renown Gracie, Dark Inu Fan, Owari Nai Yumes, forgotten angel, undecidedlycertain, InuyashaCrazed, Amanda Trinh, kittyInuyasha,

Toya'sGurl – I like cliffhangers :D

Gohan757 – yes, he could but they were _following_ it first.

Pwalefriend – Miroku called her Kagome because it was Kagome's body. He didn't know the name of the kitsune anyway.

MMorg

Obsequy, Black Rose28, jay2005, flrsblue, aNiMe HeLLcat

Disclaimer: I do not own any character created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 26 - Betrayal

Kikyo stared back at him, her demeanor softening as she lowered the bow. "Inuyasha, she's an abomination, just like Naraku." Imploring him with her eyes, she gave him a sad smile. "I have to do this for your own good and to prevent the Shikon No Tama from becoming tainted."

"Why you," he growled but didn't move, his knuckles whitening as he gripped Tetsusaiga's hilt. He head knew that she was lying but his heart cried out against hurting her.

"Do you really believe that I could harm you or her unless it was absolutely necessary?" The tip of Tetsusaiga lowered slightly as his resolve diminished. Kikyo grinned inwardly; her studies in the black arts were paying off. The hanyou was becoming ensorcelled and none of them realized it yet.

"Don't listen to her, Inuyasha!" Miroku yelled, seeing the hanyou falter. "She still has Kagome's soul trapped in the curse!" A silver ear flicked reflexively toward him, but he showed no other sign of hearing him. Quicker than a human eye could follow, Kikyo pulled an ofuda out of her haori and flung it at the monk, silencing him.

Kikyo pinched the arrow against the bow with her sighting finger, freeing a hand to caress his cheek and reinforce the spell she was winding around him. He flinched but didn't back away, his golden eyes following her every move. 'He is mine to play with now. Tsubaki was never the dark priestess that I am.'

"She is just like Naraku," she repeated, whispering into his ear. "She's trying to trick you into betraying me. But you won't let that happen, will you." His slight shake of the head was all she needed. "Get the pendant from her, and then kill her before she destroys us."

Sango watched the exchange between the priestess and hanyou with growing horror. The undead woman was spouting nonsense and Inuyasha seemed to be buying to it. She heard Miroku's shout; Inuyasha was blocking her view and she did not see him fall. Time seemed to slow as the hanyou turned to her and the huddled kitsune, raising Tetsusaiga. Kikyo was whispering in his ear, a maniacal gleam in her brown eyes.

"Inuyasha, snap out of it!" Sango tried to hide the kitsunes behind her body but he roughly shoved her to the side. Kikyo produced another ofuda and threw it at her. The paper struck her forehead and she collapsed, her body numb and paralyzed. The woman that had been Kagome did not resist as he ripped the pendant from her neck, snapping the leather thong that he had tied so gently days before.

"Give it to me," Kikyo extended her hand, palm up.

The ground shook again as an enormous spiked mace tore trees from the ground, scattering them like pencils. Akane wailed and crushed Shippo to her. She didn't fear the hanyou near as much as the nightmare that had finally found them.

Yellow tusks curving from its lower jaw, its face resembled a huge lump of bread dough that had grown warts. Several beady black eyes squinted at them through folds of its flesh. Its body was just as misshapen as its face, an overgrown potato that had sprouted limbs. Standing almost forty feet tall, it towered over the trees. It roared; warm, fetid breath washing over them as swung its mace again.

Inuyasha snapped out of the spell with a jerk, the pendant still clutched in his hand and pulsing with Kagome's life force. 'I almost…' His heart constricted at the thought of piercing his mate's body with his sword. He could almost smell her blood staining his hands. Clenching his hand around the pendant, he ducked just in time to avoid being impaled on the spikes of the ogre's mace. Scooping Kagome into his arms, he leapt out of the way and deposited her on the ground. Miroku and Sango still lay prone on the ground, struggling against the curses. Kikyo glared at him but shot at the ogre, the arrow surrounded by a comet of pink light.

The ogre knocked the arrow out of the air as if it were swatting a fly and swung the mace, leaving a crater in the ground where the priestess had jumped out of the way. Seeing that Kikyo had distracted the ogre, Inuyasha opened his hand and slammed the pendant into the trunk of the nearest tree. His hand was surrounded by blue light as the soul within was released. It hung in the air for a moment, and then flew into the chest of the woman at his feet. A shard of the sacred jewel tumbled down with pieces of broken jade.

Kagome's body went rigid, back arching against the ground. He pulled her into his arms, cradling her against his chest. "Kagome, please come back. It's all my fault," he moaned against her hair. Her eyes fluttered open, "Inuyasha…look out!"

One handed, he raised Tetsusaiga to deflect the ogre's mace, the force of the impact jarring his arm. He let go of Kagome and stepped between her and the ogre, wrapping his other hand around the hilt of the sword. Concentrating, he felt the clash where the two demonic auras collided: the windscar. Bringing the sword over his head, he slammed it to the ground, cutting through the windscar and releasing Tetsusaiga's attack.

The ogre launched off of the ground, clearing the lines of power that left deep ruts in the earth. Swinging its mace, the ogre released sharp spikes that hurtled toward them. Another blast of the windscar destroyed most of them, but several still managed to bury themselves in the ground around them, narrowly missing Miroku's still form.

"Hey, get back here!" Inuyasha leapt into the air to meet it, slicing through the windscar and sending bolts of power arching toward the ogre. Unable to dodge in mid-air, the ogre took it blast in the chest, just as one of Kikyo's arrows hit its thigh. Bellowing, the ogre swelled with yellow and pink light, then exploded into dust.

Inuyasha landed gracefully, a satisfied grin on his face. "Not so tough, are you," he quipped at the motes of dust floating gently to the ground.

Kikyo pulled her last arrow from her quiver, notching the bow and aiming at Kagome. "You are next, impure creature. I would not have been able to purify you as a human, but with a demon soul inside you, you will die like a monster."

Inuyasha spun around, suddenly remembering that the danger was not over. "Kikyo, don't do this!"

Kikyo's grin widened as Akane's soul surged around the girl, straining against invisible bonds. Kagome shrieked, hands grasping at her chest as if to keep the fox soul inside.

"Can't leave your host, can you, kitsune. Inuyasha made sure of that."

Inuyasha growled and brandished Tetsusaiga. "I did not! "

Kikyo cocked her head and let the bow dip, the evil smile fading from her lips to be replaced by a sneer. "Oh, but you did. You marked Kagome, binding the demon blood to her, and then allowed yourself to be marked by her, strengthening the bond." Inuyasha's sword slowly lowered as the information hit him, guilt twisting his gut. "All of that could have been undone with the right rituals, but you had to take it one irrevocable step further." Her face twisted, hatred burning in the depths of her eyes.

"What…did I do?"

"You impregnated her!" She spat, drawing back the bow.

Shocked into immobility, Inuyasha stared at her with his mouth hanging open. Kagome gasped, putting a protective hand over her abdomen. "How do you…?"

"Stupid girl," Kikyo cut her off. "I'm a trained priestess and I had your soul captured in my curse for several days. You soul knew, even if your mind didn't. Now, Inuyasha, you will watch your mate and heir die."

Hiraikotsu slammed into her, knocking her to the ground. Sango had managed to throw off the curse enough to pull herself to her elbows, but her legs were still limp and useless. "Inuyasha, she's not the Kikyo you knew!"

"Destroy her pendant," Miroku gasped, still unable to move.

Inuyasha nodded, thrusting Tetsusaiga point first into the ground and hurdling toward the prone priestess. She tried to roll out of the way, but he landed on her chest, pinning her body beneath him. Gritting his teeth against the purification she was driving into him, he fished the charm from her haori and lobbed it over his shoulder. She shrieked, pressing her hands against his chest and blasting him again.

He flew backward, temporarily stunned, and hit the dirt with a thud. Shaking his head to clear it of the debilitation effects of being partially purified, he used Tetsusaiga to crawl to his feet. Sniffing out the windscar, his eyes fixed on the priestess lying on her side in the dirt. She stretched a hand toward him, "You can't kill me! You promised to…"

He steeled himself, the windscar shining bright before him. "I made that promise to a woman who died fifty-two years ago. You ain't her." Kikyo's eyes widened and she screamed in fury, sending a bolt of purifying energy toward him.

"Backlash Wave!" Tetsusaiga flung the priestess' power back at her in tornadoes of youkai power. Destroying everything in their path, the tornadoes engulfed her as she shrieked. When the dust finally settled, only a bow remained.

"Is she gone?" Miroku pushed himself to his feet and staggered over to the hanyou, who hadn't moved since the energy had dissipated.

"I don't know," he finally answered. "I didn't feel it hit her directly and I wasn't at my full strength, but she isn't here anymore."

"Could her soul collectors have saved her?" Inuyasha shrugged and shook his head. "You had to do it, you know that." Miroku bowed his head and closed his eyes, bringing two fingers in front of his face. "We can only hope that she may rest in peace."

"Inuyasha…" he turned toward Kagome's soft voice. She still sat where he placed her, Shippo clinging to her. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she gazed at him. "I'm so sorry," she choked out, tears sliding down her cheeks. He dropped Tetsusaiga and dropped to his knees in front of her.

"Kagome, don't cry. You have nothing to be sorry for." He brushed her tears away with the pad of his thumb before enfolding her in his arms. She seemed so fragile as she sobbed into his chest, twisting her fingers in his haori. He fought his own tears as the realization of how close he had been to losing her gripped his heart. Tightening his arms, he buried his nose in her hair and breathed in her scent.

Sango stumbled over to the jade pendant lying in the dirt. With a grunt, she crushed it with the heel of her boot, grinding into the dirt. Lifting her foot, she saw nothing but green chips and a small sliver of the Shikon No Tama. Miroku joined her and slipped an arm around her waist. "Do you think they'll be alright?" he asked, gesturing to the embracing hanyous.

Sango smiled, a little of the exhaustion easing out of her eyes. "Yeah, I think they will."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I don't know how this happened," Kagome mumbled as she rolled the jewel fragments around in her hand before putting them back in the little bottle she wore around her neck. She kept her eyes downcast, looking anywhere but at the hanyou who sat next to her on the log by the campfire. "I thought you said that you could smell when I was… in heat." She blushed and touched her flat stomach.

"I can!" Inuyasha said defensively. "You didn't even start another heat." He wanted to touch her, comfort her, but Kagome had withdrawn into herself.

"I should have started several days ago," Kagome sighed. "Maybe she was wrong… Akane didn't get sick when she was in control of my body."

Inuyasha snorted. "Youkai don't usually get sick like humans or hanyous."

"But she was in a hanyou body…"

"I don't know, Kagome."

Kagome rubbed her abdomen again. She supposed it was possible if they had made love right before her heat cycle was to start. She recalled from Sex Ed that sperm could fertilize an egg many hours after it had been ejaculated. Blushing furiously, she hunched her shoulders. 'Don't they call people who practice the rhythm method parents? Or was that withdrawal…' Her mother was going to be disappointed; especially after making sure she had all those condoms.

"Don't you want this pup?" Inuyasha's quiet question brought her out of her ruminations and she finally met his eyes.

"Do you? It will delay our hunt for Naraku, not to mention completely changing our lives."

He shrugged and kissed her forehead. "Some things are more important than finding Naraku." Like raising our pup with the love and acceptance I never had, he added silently.

A brilliant smile slowly spread across her face and she laughed with joy, throwing her arms around his neck. "I love you."

Inuyasha blushed but returned the hug, "Yeah, wench… me too." He broke the embrace a few minutes later to lift the edge of her blouse. "Our pup," he murmured, running his claws across her belly, delighted by the way her skin shuddered.

"Kit," Kagome giggled, her core tingling deliciously.

"Pup," his teeth followed his claws, grazing the smooth, salty skin.

"Kit!" she gasped, arching into his touch and instinctively spreading her knees.

He ran a clawed hand under her skirt and up the inside of her thigh. "Pup."

"Inuyasha! Sango and Miroku…" she closed her legs, trapping his hand, and pulled the hem of her skirt down.

"…took Shippo to the spring," he finished for her, pulling her knees apart and kneeling between them. Catching her bottom in his hands, he pulled her toward him until their bodies were flush. "We have a little time."

A/N: Epilogue to follow.


	27. Epilogue

A/N: Last chapter, hope it answers any other questions you might have. Thank you, everyone, who has stuck with me 'til the end.

FFnet:

Toya's Gurl, CoyoteChi, Inuyasha'swife15, lady Kcassandra, Alanna Adele, AzNDrAgOn37, FlowersfromHell, SangoKirara711, Tahitianbabe, serenity-james17210, Owari Nai Yumes, TaintedInuShemeeko, Kirro, gohan757, Ally Inu, MagicV, dieforinuyasha, kikyohatermagor, MiniSparky, kagomereincarnated, LuvzRock16, Soon to be world renown Gracie, inuyasha's2hotmiko, GnomeInuyasha, Infinite Entity, forgotten angel, xsachi

Mmorg:

leilachan

Disclaimer: I do not own any character created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Epilogue

Kagome sat in the grass under one of the large trees in the demon slayer's village and flipped through one of the magazines her mother had given her, eyeing the flat-stomached models in disgust. Wedding dresses were not made for pregnant women, she decided, rubbing her already swelling abdomen. However, she had to find something soon or her mother would pick it for her.

All things considered, her mother had taken the news of a grandbaby (she refused to use the word 'pup' or 'kit' when referring to her grandchild) pretty well. After a few heavy sighs and a coerced promise from the both of them to have a proper wedding _before_ the baby was born, she'd started planning for the baby shower. Kagome had a deep suspicion that her wedding had already been planned but figured she'd gotten off pretty light.

Souta, when he'd heard the news, had made the 'shk-shk' sound of a shotgun being loaded. Kagome had whacked him Grandpa's newspaper, which he'd dropped in shock.

"Don't tell me you've mated with a demon and are now carrying demon-spawn?" the old man wheezed, not even missing his paper.

"Oi! Old man, I outta…" it was Inuyasha's turn to be hit with the newspaper.

"Uhhh…didn't mom tell you we'd mated?" Kagome twisted the newspaper in her hands, ignoring Souta's firing noises.

"I didn't, dear," her mother spoke up. "I thought it would be best if you told everyone yourself."

"I think it's cool," Souta enthused as he lowered his air shotgun and grinned at Inuyasha with hero-worship. "You think the baby will have his ears?"

"Pup," Inuyasha grumped, flicking the appendages in question.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I hope so. They're awfully cute." She dropped the paper to tweak one silver ear, giggling as she remembered the first time she'd done that. He'd been fast asleep, pinned to Goshinbuko with Kikyo's arrow. How far they'd come since that day…

They'd set a date that was now only a month away; just a simple, small ceremony at the shrine with only her closest family and friends. She'd invited her friends, but had yet to tell them the entire truth, including her demon nature and pregnancy. She'd been putting it off for a couple of months now, but she could no longer hide her pregnancy and didn't want to hide her nature. Also, she had to apologize to Hojo. The fear of rejection was the main reason she'd waited to say anything.

To her surprise, Inuyasha had agreed to the wedding without much of a fight. He was almost more excited about the pup than she was, probably because he could still see his feet and didn't have to pee every twenty minutes. Their shard and Naraku hunting had been put on hold for the moment though he'd assured her that hanyou pups were tough from a young age and could accompany them after only a few of years. Kagome had looked at him doubtfully but he'd pointed at Shippo.

"Runt's still a kit and he's been following us around for two years."

"But…"

"Keh. Pup has to learn to fight, anyway."

Kagome turned the page and gasped as one of the bridal gowns caught her eye: a café colored gown in silk chiffon trimmed with pearls, creamy ribbon and tiny mocha flowers. The empire waist would allow for her tummy and still look elegant. Sending up a quick prayer to Kami that the gown wasn't on backorder, she marked her place with a blade of grass and set the magazine aside.

They'd agreed that she would have the pup in Sengoku Jidai because it was where the both of them felt most at home. That was beside the fact that the pup would also be hanyou and would attract the same kind of attention that Inuyasha's or Kagome's demon features would. Kagome could hide hers, but Inuyasha couldn't and it would be several years before the pup could even try. They also had no guarantee that they could bring the pup through the well once it was born.

Kaede had agreed to deliver the pup as payment for saving their village from the mole youkai and Kagome hoped that she and the miko could repair their relationship. She missed the old woman's wisdom and advice, and she still wanted to learn about herbs and remedies even though her miko powers were dormant except on her human nights. Every couple of weeks, she and Inuyasha would visit the old miko for a check-up. Human doctors of her time were out of the question, of course.

At the rapid rate her belly was growing, Kaede estimated another two months before the pup was born, making her gestational period a total of five months. It would put her due date very close to that of her wedding, but there wasn't anything she could do about that. It would probably be her last trip anywhere until the pup was born.

Quiet footsteps approached from behind, and Sango seated herself next to Kagome, extending a cup of cold, sweet water. Kagome accepted it gratefully.

"How are you feeling?" the taijiya eyed her hanyou friend, delighted by her swollen tummy. "Can I?" At Kagome's nod, she rubbed her belly, a distant smile on her face.

"I felt it move earlier," Taking a long drink and setting down the bamboo cup, Kagome leaned back on her hands, giving relief to her back.

Sango's smile widened. "When my mother was pregnant with Kohaku, she said it was like a fluttering inside her."

"Yeah, kinda like that."

"It will be nice to have children in this village again." For a moment, Sango could see the village as it was, full of life and vitality. Her father, tall and proud, silhouetted against the mountains as he oversaw the training of young slayers-to-be. The ring of steel against steel faded from her ears as Kagome's question brought her back to the present.

"You and Miroku?"

"Well," Sango sighed. "Miroku can't really make that kind of commitment until Naraku has been defeated. I think he'd like to settle down, but… his kazaana is still a threat to his life and I don't want to raise a child alone."

Kagome glanced down, unable to meet her friend's eyes. "I'm sorry. We…we should have waited, but…"

"Don't apologize. You didn't do it on purpose. Besides, things happen for a reason, even if it isn't apparent at the moment." Kagome smiled at her friend and sister, clasping the hand that was still resting on her belly.

"Thanks, Sango."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Inuyasha stared into the small cooking fire in the middle of the hut, a thoughtful frown wrinkling his brow. Kagome handed him a steaming cup of ramen, then kneeled behind him, awkwardly wrapping her arms around his waist. She could barely reach; her bulging tummy was in the way.

"What are you thinking?" she murmured, leaning her cheek against his shoulder.

He sighed, covering her hands with one of his own. "Kagome…I've wanted to ask you something."

Her heart skipped a beat; his tone made it clear that he'd been working up to it, which was not a good sign. She cleared her throat and tightened her grip. "What is it, Inuyasha?"

"When I….when I defeated Kikyo…" He seemed hesitant to continue, but Kagome remained silent. They hadn't discussed the priestess since the day she had been presumably sent back to hell. Inuyasha hadn't brought her up and Kagome was willing to let sleeping dogs, or mikos, lie. His reticence to discuss his former love extended to all of them, something that had concerned them until they realized that the grief they had expected to overwhelm him was not going to come. Kagome was not naïve enough to believe he had forgotten her but he seemed content with the life they had together and she knew that when he was ready, he would talk to her about it.

"Did the missing piece of your soul return to you?" He turned his head to gaze at her over his shoulder, golden eyes smoldering with the intensity of his emotions. Kagome's breath caught in her throat as he set down the ramen to pull her into his lap and brush the crimson star on her forehead with his fingertips. Unable to speak, she shook her head no.

"What does it mean?" his earnest question tore at her heart.

"I don't know," she whispered, stroking his cheek with her knuckles. "Maybe I'm whole now, with the kitsune soul."

He stared into her silver eyes as if he could see her soul itself. "Do you wish you could have become human again? Returned to your normal life?"

Sighing, she lowered her eyes to her swollen belly. "At first, I was so afraid…I'd lost my miko powers and thought I'd lose you. Kaede and Hojo rejected me for being hanyou." She gently stroked her stomach and smiled, meeting his eyes again. "But I wouldn't trade what we have now for anything."

"You're mine forever," he nuzzled her neck, sending a shiver down her spine.

"All yours," she giggled, and then gasped as the pup moved.

Back stiffening, his eyes widened anxiously. "Does it hurt?"

"No, it doesn't hurt. Here," she caught his wrist and pressed his hand against the being growing within her. She couldn't help giggling again at his awestruck expression, the wonder and joy shining in his eyes.

Scooting backward until his back was against the wall, he laid his head on her tummy, one ear pressed firmly to her body. Kagome's giggles quieted as a wave of contentment washed over her. Comfortable and safe in his embrace, she joined his deep rumble with a purr of her own as her eyes drifted close. No, she didn't regret becoming hanyou. She had lost a lot but gained much, much more.

A/N: I've had a couple questions about sequels – the answer is maybe. However, I might just start over, because developing the romance between the two is a lot of fun.

If anyone is interested, I've started another story called Moving Pictures, also on FFnet and Mmorg under the same handle.


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